Just Another Cliche
by DreamerLove15
Summary: "I wish to be with Austin like this forever." / Austin and Ally come to a summer's end as they both enter their last year of high school together. Ally tries to keep her growing feelings for her best friend inside, but they become hard to ignore when a new girl enters Austin's life.
1. Chapter 1: The Moon and More

I squealed in excitement as Austin threw me over his shoulder, running along the hot sand as the waves lapped along the shore. I tilt my head back, laughing and begging for him to put me down but deep inside not wanting any of it to stop.

This was our last day of freedom, our last day of summer until we entered our last official year of high school. This was our last year of innocence, our last year of youth and our last year of walking down the halls of Marino High before we both departed on our separate ways into the future. I wanted this day to last forever, being carried by my best friend as he swept us through the waves. I screamed when the salty water splashed all over my swim suit, cold and unexpected.

"Austin!" I screeched as he carried me into the ocean. "Don't you dare."

He looked down at me, raising his eyebrows and sending me a mischievous grin. "But I'm not doing anything," he said nonchalantly as he walked deeper into the waves. I hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"The water is _freezing, _are you insane?!" I asked, but before I could tell him to take me back to the shore he walked even further, pulling both of us in and down. I gasped, closing my mouth as we both disappeared beneath the waves and into the deep sea. I swam further down, admiring the star fish that strayed along the bottom. I looked up to find Austin, sending me that goofy grin like he always did. He pointed upwards, sending me a signal to race back up to the top. I shook my head, but he was already swimming up back to the oxygen above. I found myself swimming back up quickly before I ran out of breath.

As I sprang back up to the surface, Austin was already waiting there for me. He splashed me with water and I groaned. "I beat you!" he yelled triumphantly. "Race you back to the shore!"

"No, no more swimming! I'm pooped!" I laughed, throwing my head back and letting my hair float in the lapping waves.

"Hold on tight, then," he replied, and before I could question what he meant he was carrying me on his back as he swam to the shore. I began giggling crazily, and when we finally reached the warm sand, we both fell onto our backs in a fit of laughter.

It had always been like this: Austin and Ally, the best of friends, two peas in a pod. We'd met in kindergarten, when Jack Coleman had stolen my lunch. I'd started sobbing, but luckily a small blonde haired boy came to the rescue and managed to retrieve my lunch for me. Of course, he lost a tooth after Jack Coleman punched Austin in the face, but it was worth it in the end. Plus, Jack Coleman moved to a different school after kindergarten, so Austin and I didn't have to worry about him throughout the rest of our elementary years.

After that, we clicked. It was always the Austin and Ally show. We were inseparable. And somewhere along the way, along the late night sleepovers, summers at the beach, and hours at the piano when we sang our hearts out for fun, I looked into his light brown eyes and fell in deep. And I could do absolutely nothing about it because this was our last year of high school together, and I promised myself that I wouldn't ruin it by confessing my feelings to him.

Confessing was never something easy for me. Sometimes it's better that the truth go unsaid. I averted my attention back to the present, my eyes drifting up to the sky.

"The sun's setting," I murmured, tilting my head in his direction. The sky's deep red was reflecting against his hazel eyes and they almost appeared to be on fire. He turned to look at me and I felt my breath hitch.

"Last summer sunset we're gonna be seeing for awhile, huh?" he asked, sighing and propping himself up on his elbows. I sat criss crossed.

"Unfortunately," I answered, sighing along with him. "But I'm glad I'm seeing it with you."

He looked at me and blinked. I felt my ears turning pink. "Because you're my best friend!" I quickly exclaimed, laughing nervously and punching him in the air. He stared at me weirdly, but then began to laugh along with me. He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer to him, ruffling my hair. I squealed.

"You are _so _strange sometimes, did you know that, Ally?" he asked, looking down at me. I tried to fight the urge to snuggle in closer to him. We already had everything in front of us: the sun setting, his arm wrapped around me, my head resting against his chest... the only thing that was missing was identical hearts. Mine's was racing at the sight of our intimacy while I'm sure his was beating steadily.

I rolled my eyes and grinned. "So I've heard," I said, breaking away from his grip. "Plus the fact that you never fail to remind me every five seconds." As the waves lap towards our legs, I take a small scoop of water and splash it onto him. He gasps and my eyes widen as I make a fast attempt to get up and run away.

* * *

"Dinner is great, Mr. Dawson," Austin complimented. I looked over to my dad across the table and bit my lip.

"Austin," he replied, clearing his throat, "it's just pizza." The three of us fell into loud laughter. "So... no more long days frolicking at the beach, hm?"

I shot my dad a look. As embarrassing as it was, he was one of the people that actually knew how I felt about Austin. It was humiliating because he'd always drop subtle hints about it whenever Austin was over, but luckily Austin is just another seventeen year old who doesn't take notice of subtlety. "We weren't _frolicking, _Dad. Just swimming and walking," I replied.

"She's scared of the waves," Austin chimed in. I scoffed at him.

"I am not afraid of the waves! We've been going to that beach since we were toddlers. The water's freezing, that's all," I explained. He chuckled, taking another bite of pizza.

"Whatever floats your boat, Ally," he replies before turning back to my dad. "It's gonna be a bummer going back to school."

"But why? I mean, you two are going to be graduating soon. You should enjoy this time while it lasts," my dad reminds us. An uneasy silence envelops the room as I stare down at my paper plate awkwardly. The future is always a touchy subject. "College is just around the corner."

"Yes, Dad, I know," I sighed, getting up to throw my pizza away, my stomach feeling queasy.

"Mr. Dawson, you know that Ally..." I hear Austin say, but I tune it out. I don't want to even think about the future right now. I just want to stay like this, seventeen, going on crazy adventures with Austin. But while it is nice to dream, my mind tends to bring myself back to reality. Fact: This is my last year with my best friend in high school. Fact: Time can't slow down just because I want it to. I enter the living room and try to brighten the atmosphere once more.

"Well Dad, thanks for the pizza!" I exclaim cheerfully. "Austin and I are just gonna walk around outside for a bit."

His smile softens. "Of course, sweetie," he replies.

"Thanks again for the dinner, Mr. Dawson," Austin calls before he follows me out the door.

"Don't forget to close up Sonic Boom!" I yell before heading out. I shake my head and let out a small laugh. "Talk about awkward in there, right?"

Austin shrugs his shoulders. "It's only awkward if you make it awkward, Ally," he reminds me. I frown, shoving him lightly on the shoulder.

"Hey, that's usually my line," I tease. He laughs.

"You're probably rubbing off on me. I think I'm spending too much time with you," he jokes, and we laugh because we both know that this is the understatement of the year. We've been "hanging out" with one another for the past thirteen years. If anything, we've learned how to read each other's minds automatically without even trying.

"But seriously, Ally," he continues. "What are you so scared of?"

I let my flip flops fill in the silence before I answer and choose to look down at my toes, which, now that I'm looking at them, really need to be re-painted. "I'm scared of losing this," I blurt out before I lose my nerve. We turn a corner and begin to pass by all the shops. Their lights go off one by one as we pass by each of them, and their OPEN signs flip to CLOSED. The street lights slowly flick on and light up our pathway.

"Losing what, exactly?" he asks, frowning in confusion. I take a deep breath.

"Just this... Summers like this. Moments like this. High school," I ramble, then peek shyly at him. "Us."

At this he stops walking and turns toward me. I gulp. Does he understand what I'm trying to say? He places both of his hands on my shoulders. My eyes widen. Is he going to _kiss _me?

"Ally," he says. "You know that I'm always going to be there for you. You're my best friend."

My shoulders slump as I manage to give him a weak smile. "I know," I reply softly, leaning in to hug him with all my might. I bury my face into his shoulder. "I'm just scared of what's on the road ahead of me, I guess," I admit. "I'm going to miss all of this. When high school ends, everything is going to change."

He pulls away and stares me straight in the eyes. I find myself falling again, and I have to keep myself from swooning. "Except us," he replies.

I can't help but smile at his answer. I hold my pinky out. It's tradition. We've been doing pinky promises since the day we've met. Somewhere in his eyes I can still catch a glimpse of the little blonde boy I met thirteen years ago. I wonder if he does the same for me. "Promise?" I ask.

He grins, linking his pinky with mine. "Promise," he says, then throws his arm around me once more, not realizing that every time he does it my heart literally skips a beat. "Now c'mon, we better head back. Tomorrow's the first day of school after all."

I groan and try to run away but he picks me up and carries me on his back the rest of the walk back home. I hold on tightly, staring up at the stars and the moon. I find the biggest star in the sky and squeeze my eyes shut as my arms wrap themselves tighter around Austin's neck. Then I shake my head. I'm tired of wishing on stars. Maybe this time I'll wish on the moon instead.

"Have you ever tried wishing on the moon?" I ask. He adjusts his hands to get a better grip on my legs. I blush and thank God he can't see my tomato red face right now.

"No," he answers. "Let me try." He looks up at the sky. "I wish for cheerleaders to be in my room once I drop Ally off."

I snort and hit him on the shoulder as we both burst out laughing. But before I forget, I make a wish of my own.

_I wish to be with Austin like this forever._


	2. Chapter 2: Third Wheel

**_Hey there, readers! So yes, this is another story with maybe 10-15 chapters I'm hoping! After watching Tunes and Trials and Teen Beach Movie, which were both amazing by the way,_** **_I suddenly got very inspired to write that whole cliche high school Austin and Ally fan fiction with a few tweaks here and there. So basically Austin and Ally have been best friends since childhood and they are entering their last official year of high school together. Ally is very timid and scared for what lies ahead in her future, and Austin is determined to make their last year memorable for all the right reasons. _**

**_However, of course we're going to have some complications when a certain girl enters Austin's life and Ally now feels herself needing to battle for her best friend's attention.  
_**

**_I can't say anymore, don't want to spoil anything too much! But I just want to say thank you to everyone who's favoriting, following, reviewing, or even just reading in general. THANK YOU. I appreciate it to the fullest extent, seriously. Alright, enough ranting, here we go..._**

* * *

_I'm running away from something, what it is, I'm not quite sure of. My breath is becoming short and raggedy and my legs feel like they're going to fall out from beneath me anytime soon. I feel myself trip over a bumpy part in this strange and rocky pathway I seem to be trailing on, and I turn around to see if the monster is gone.  
_

_ "Ally..." it calls, and I feel myself shrinking. "Ally..."_

"Ally!" a voice yells and my eyes instantly fly open wide as I gasp for air. _Just a dream, Ally, _I think. _Calm down. _I look towards my door and find my dad standing there with our house phone in one hand.

"God, what time is it?" I ask, quickly jumping out of bed.

"It's 7:00, you have one hour," he replies. "But that's not-"

"Then why did you wake me up?" I groan, heading back to my warm and comfortable bed whose invisible arms are pulling me in.

"Kira's on the phone," he says. I slowly turn around, then grin and grab the phone.

"Hello, Kira?" I say, squealing.

"Ally!" she squeals back. Then we both start squealing. Maybe it's a girl thing, but if your long distance best friend who lives in Hawaii calls you, you would understand.

"I miss you so much!" I exclaim, shooing my dad out of the room as I shut the door and flop back down onto my bed. "How have you been?"

"Oh, absolutely perfect!" she giggles. "And Ally, I have-"

"Hey, do you think I can call you back later, Kira? I have to start getting ready for school and-"

"Actually, that's why I called you, girl! You'll never guess where I am right now!" she shouts. I hear ocean waves crashing in the background and laugh.

"Um, at a beach, I'm guessing," I reply, walking over to the bathroom as I shove my toothbrush in my mouth.

"I'm at _Miami _beach, silly!" she laughs. My toothbrush drops into the sink and I spit toothpaste gunk all over the mirror. Gross.

"You're... wait, you're _here_?" I ask incredulously. My heart is pounding and excitement eagerly fills in my bones. "Why are you _here_?"

"My dad just opened a new record label up here, and he says that I'm going to be attending high school here for awhile. And that means..."

"We get to go to the same school!" we squeal simultaneously.

To further explain how amazing this situation is, I need to backtrack precisely five years ago. Five years ago, I was a twelve year old who luckily won a contest in piano playing and the prize just so happened to be a luxury trip to Hawaii. I remember Austin practically begging to come with me, even suggesting ridiculous things like hiding him in my suitcase, but I explained that the extra ticket would have to go to my dad. No way would they let a minor traipse around Hawaii all by herself.

Words cannot express just how beautiful it was once we arrived. The palm trees, the coconut drinks, the endless blue ocean waves... It was like a permanent summer there. I met Kira through her dad, Jimmy, who had held the contest. He was looking for a fresh new face to possibly place into his record label company, but my dad refused to throw me into show business. At twelve, I didn't quite understand the whole business either, and sometimes I do wonder what my life would have been like if I'd signed with Jimmy. At the end of the day, though, I'm happy with my decisions. If I'd signed with Jimmy, I would've had to abandon Austin, and the truth is that Miami is my home.

Kira and I bonded right away, and we gushed over typical twelve year old topics, skimming through the Jonas Brothers, favorite subjects, and boys. In my short Hawaiian stay, I'd managed to tell Kira everything: how my mom was observing apes in the wild and how I missed her a lot, how I wrote songs whenever inspiration came to me, and how I was crushing on a boy named Austin Moon, who just so happened to be my best friend.

"Is he cute?" she'd asked. She wore her hair in pigtails back then.

"I think so," I'd said. "Yes, definitely."

Even back then we were squealers. "Well you're his best friend, right?" she'd replied. I nodded. "Then why don't you tell him how you feel?"

Even at twelve I knew that telling your best friend you had a crush on him was a little risky and probably not a good idea. "I can't."

"Why not?" she'd asked, frowning.

"It's hard to explain."

And it was. It was difficult to describe just how close Austin and I were. He had seen me with scraped knees, a stuffy nose, and embarrassing Halloween costumes. Could he really love a girl that he had seen at not only her best, but at her worst times as well?

"Ally, are you still there?" Kira asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I shook my head.

"Yeah, I'm here. This is so great! Now my last year of high school is complete! I have my best friend from Hawaii and..."

"And...?" she asked, then gasped. "Oh my gosh, are you still crushing on that Moon best friend of yours?"

I bit my lip in hesitation and nodded, then remembered that she couldn't see me over the phone.

"You just nodded, didn't you?" she asked with a squeal. I nodded again. "This is great! I finally get to meet him! Are you two finally dating? Have you kissed?"

I blushed. "He's my best friend, Kira," I reminded her. I could almost imagine her rolling her eyes on the other end.

"Right," she replied sarcastically. "Well look, I've gotta go. Have to make a splash on my first day, right?"

I laughed. "Right. And hey, don't wear those pigtails, okay?" I teased.

"Oh Ally, we were twelve, let it go," she giggled. "I'll see you in a few!"

The dial tone filled my ears as I placed the phone down on the bathroom counter. Looking into the mirror, I took a deep breath. Best friend. Who knew two words could make me feel so queasy?

* * *

A horn honked outside as I shoveled my last bite of cereal into my mouth. Austin was never one to walk up and ring the doorbell, no, he had to honk. I sighed and grabbed my bag, slinging it over my shoulder.

"Bye Dad!" I yelled.

"Bye honey! Have a good day at-"

I slammed the door shut behind me. There he was, in his rusty red pick up truck. He saw me and honked his horn loudly, grinning. I laughed and rolled my eyes, running to the car. As I slid into the passenger seat, reserved only for _moi_, he whistled.

"What?" I asked, feeling my face flush.

"Why so dressed up?" he asked. I shot him a look, then tilted my head downwards to observe my purple floral tank top, jeans, and wedges.

"Austin, I'm always dressed like this," I replied. He lightly punched me in the shoulder.

"I know. I'm just messing with you," he said, and I felt my heart wilt a slight.

"Gee thanks," I muttered low so that he couldn't hear me. Being best friends with a boy has many privileges, but the best so far has been taking shot gun in his car. As soon as he'd scraped up enough allowance money to purchase the old rat, he'd called me up to be the first passenger ever to ride in it. I loved sitting in the front; it made me feel special. He turned on the radio and put the volume on high, smirking at me. He knew I hated when he blasted his car music, but I merely smiled at him, rolling my window down.

"Well someone's in a good mood today," he said, turning the music down a couple notches.

I laughed. "You remember my friend from Hawaii, right? The one that I've told you about?" I asked.

He snapped his fingers. "Right, Kiley?"

I stifled a giggle. "Kira," I corrected. "She's living here in Miami for awhile because her dad's job moved to this location. And... she's going to be a Marino!"

Austin threw his head back and laughed, turning to face me. "Ally-"

"Hey, eyes on the road, mister," I scolded him, turning his face towards the road.

"Only you refer to the students at Marino High as _Marinos_," he teased. "That's great, though, that she's going to our school now."

"I know! I'm so psyched! You're going to love her, Austin, I promise."

"As long as she doesn't get in between this," he replied, pointing a finger at us, "then we're all good."

I gasped, then pinched his cheek. "Aw, is the little Austin jealous?" I joked. He lightly slapped my hand away and I laughed.

"Please, our friendship is solid!" he yelled. "Best friends for, what, twelve years now?"

"Thirteen," I blurted, my cheeks turning pink.

He stole a sneak peek at my face and sighed. "Even better," he said, turning the wheel as we pulled into the school parking lot as he parked in our usual spot near the office. I tightened the strap of my bag as I stepped out of the car and onto the asphalt. We walked into the school together, the campus as familiar as the beach we'd spent our whole summer frolicking... I mean, _chilling _at.

My eyes averted to the campus areas that filled their usual assortment of groups. The football players seemingly hung near the lockers, while the cheerleaders hung on the grass, already practicing their new routines for future night games and competitions. Yet while everyone stuck to their traditional groups, we were not a school that was afraid to step out of our status quos and mingle with others. I watched Austin's attention turn to a cheerleader walking up to a group of classical music girls, and the two different girls embraced, murmuring about summer adventures and groaning about the arrival back to school.

The timid and shy freshman hovered near the campus's infamous oak tree, which stood mightily in the middle of the sea of students. Austin nudged my shoulder and we shared a secret smile, reminiscing back to the times when we were once like them, still young and unaware of the possibilities high school held for us.

"It's good to be back," I stated, smiling.

"Not as good as the beach," he reasoned as we neared our lockers which were, of course, right next to one another.

"Hey Austin! Hey Ally!" a red head and a curly haired Latino greeted as they passed by us. Another thing: when people greeted us, it was always _both_ of us. The Austin and Ally show wasn't just airing between the two of us, but around the school as well. Our platonic friendship was well known around the campus, and while many questioned just how platonic our friendship was, I managed to hide my feelings quite well, pushing any suspicions aside.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of a very long day that was bound to be filled with syllabuses and awkward ice breakers. "See you later," he sighed, shutting his locker door and leaving me with his charming smile and my racing heart beat.

* * *

_To: Ally  
__From: Kira  
11:30 a.m.  
OMG girl, your school is gigantic! _

I felt my phone vibrate in my bag and quietly pulled it out of my bag as Mr. Hansberg continued to explain to the class the following bullet points on the class syllabus. As much as I loved school, brand new supplies and acing all my exams, there's only so much a seventeen year old girl can take listening to her AP English teacher.

_To: Kira  
From: Ally__11:32 a.m.  
You'll get used to it, promise!_

I pressed SEND and returned my focus back to the sheet of paper in front of me, my eyes quickly scanning the bullet points. An essay every week, in-class reading, a project at the end of every semester...

_To: Ally  
From: Kira  
11:33 a.m.  
There is this really cute guy in my class right now... And I think he's checking me out, too!_

I stifled a laugh. It was so typical that a new girl would beat me to getting a guy, even though I've been here for four years. But I didn't mind... after all, there's only one guy on my list. I tried to shake the thoughts out of my head as I replied.

_To: Kira  
From: Ally  
11:36 a.m.  
Already? Slow your roll, girl! _

"Permission slips signed by your parents to read certain content-"

A moan escaped from a hormonal teenage boy at the back of the classroom and the class erupted into laughter. I rolled my eyes. Ignore the fact that we're all almost legal, inside every teenage boy is a four year old child.

Mr. Hansberg sent a glare before continuing. "These are due Friday," he finished just as the bell rang for lunch. The entire class sighed in relief as we all made a bee line for the door. I stopped by Mr. Hansberg's desk.

"I'm really looking forward to reading Fahrenheit 451, Mr. Hansberg. I heard it was good," I said. Ally Dawson, teacher's pet, I know, I know. But hey, it made the old man smile, didn't it?

"That's wonderful to hear, Ms. Dawson," he said cheerfully as I left the classroom. My phone vibrated again.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
11:45 a.m.  
LOCKERS. NOW._

My eyes grew in alarm at the urgency in his text. I began speeding through the crowd, lightly shoving others aside so I could get to my locker. What had happened? Had he gotten a detention already? Did he really have to put another frog in Mr. Kirby's lab coat? My mind raced with different theories until I caught a blonde head in the midst of the chaos. I had to squeeze through an inseparable couple in order to reach Austin, and I felt myself slump against my locker door, out of breath.

"What did I miss?" I asked, leaning my head against the cool metal.

"Ally, you'll never believe what just happened," he said, his eyes in a complete daze.

"Did you get detention?" I asked, folding my arms and smirked.

"No," he answered.

"Oh," I replied, my smirk disappearing. "Well, what happened then?"

"Her," he said suddenly, nudging his chin to someone behind me. I turned my head and spotted a girl with flowing, black curls wearing a light blue floral dress and flats. Not only was she dressed great, but her jewelry was spot on as well, with her ears holding two diamond earrings and her wrists carrying vintage beaded bracelets. She stopped right in front of me, grinning. I gulped and managed a weak smile.

"Kira," I croaked.

* * *

Lunch was bittersweet as I literally felt like a third wheel sitting in between my two best friends.

"So how are you liking Marino High?" Austin asked eagerly. I took a glance at him and his face seemed to light up as he talked, like a freaking Christmas tree.

"Oh, it's great," Kira gushed. If my stomach were an ocean, it would be at the absolute bottom right now. "And the people seem really nice. I'm just glad I have Ally with me." She giggles and nudges my shoulder. I plaster a smile onto my face.

"You're going to love it here," he reassures her. "If you need anything, just hit me up. I know everything."

"I'll make sure to do that," Kira replies, smiling.

"I have to go to the bathroom," I blurt. Austin cocks an eyebrow at me but Kira jumps out of her chair.

"I'll come with you!" she exclaims as she practically pulls my arm out of its socket and drags me to the bathroom. As soon as we're inside, she pulls me into a stall and sighs. "Ally..."

"Is Austin the cute guy?" I ask her, folding my arms.

She bites her lip, looking down at the ground.

"Kira, come on," I sigh. "Just tell me." She looks up at me with fearful eyes.

"Yes, but Ally... No. You know that I would never do that to you," she explains.

I give her a gentle smile. "I know," I say. "Okay. Now get out, I really do have to go to the bathroom." I laugh and push her out of the stall, yet my gut still seems to be pounding in confusion.

* * *

My locker is already filled with textbooks and notebooks and I can't help but sigh because... well... it's only the end of the first day. I re-check my binder to make sure all my syllabuses are secure and tucked in. I hear laughing from a distance and turn around.

Austin is walking with Kira towards the library, and she's giggling like crazy.

_Are you sure she isn't into him? _a voice in the back of my mind asks. I shove the thought away and slam my locker door shut.

"Austin!" I call, waving and pointing to my watch as a signal that we need to get going. He looks over at me and waves back, then shoots me a _hold-on-Ally _look as he disappears inside the library with Kira. I frown and try to shoo away the strange feeling in my stomach as I walk towards his truck in the parking lot. I'm so lost in my own thoughts that I bump into someone, their books flying to the floor.

"Sorry!" I exclaim, leaning down to pick everything up.

"Ally," a familiar voice says, and I look up, relieved to see Trish's friendly face.

"Oh Trish, hey," I said. "Sorry, I was just-"

"Frowning," she laughs as we both stand up. "Are you okay?"

I open my mouth then bite my lip. I settle on a sigh, something that I seem to be doing a lot today. "Yeah, I'm fine," I reply.

"Well, we're in the same AP Psychology class this year, so feel free to talk to me," she answers, giving me a friendly pat on the shoulder. I genuinely smile and nod.

"I'll make sure to do that," I say, then wince as I realize Kira said the the exact same thing earlier to Austin when he'd offered her... "guidance."

"Trish! Come on!" Dez yells from his car, a strange blue convertible of some sort. That boy was always an odd one. I watch the tiny car become a blurry blue dot as it drives away and I slump against the car door, checking my watch as the time flies. After what seems to be an entire lifetime, Austin's voice fills the silence.

"Hey there, stranger," he teases. I look up and frown. Also something I seem to be doing a lot of today.

"What took you so long?" I ask. He snorts.

"Seriously, Ally? You're _really _going to ask me that?" he asks, unlocking the car doors as we both hop inside. "Kira needed help finding the library. She is..."

"Awesome," I finish for him, placing my face in my hand as I look stubbornly out the window.

"Why didn't you tell me she was so-"

"Awesome?" I cut him off before he can say anything that might make my heart burst. "I did."

And as he dropped me off at my house, as I ignored my dad's usual question on how school was, as I slammed my bedroom door shut and flopped down onto the bed, I couldn't help but think back to my conversation with Austin earlier.

Here I was, teasing Austin about being jealous of Kira getting in between our friendship when really, it's me.

* * *

_**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know I did... partly because I was listening to Teen Beach Movie songs and Steal Your Heart while writing it. They're catchy, okay? PRETTY please review if you can so I know how I'm doing. Love and appreciate you all! **_


	3. Chapter 3: Too Platonic

_**HELLOOOO! First off, I hope everyone is having an amazing summer and waiting in suspense for the next Austin and Ally episode. Am I the only one wondering why Austin and Ally didn't get back together? If a guy wrote a song for me I'd probably marry him, for crying out loud! Anyways, I apologize if this chapter is not as appealing to you as the others, but I really wanted to write about Ally's close relationship with her parents and her growing friendship with Trish. But don't worry, I made sure to add some cute Auslly scenes here and there and, of course, some conflicts that are about to burst out into the open. Does Kira really not have any feelings for Austin? Will she break the girl code? What will Ally get herself into next? Alright, well thank you to everyone who is enjoying this so far, I appreciate you all SO MUCH. I am going to end this pointless rant now. Oh wait... Laura joke: How do you organize a space party? ...You planet! HA HA HA, okay, I promise, I'm done now.**_

* * *

"Alls, dinner time!" Dad called from downstairs. I sighed, taking one last look at the fresh lyrics in my song book.

_Give me a chance_  
_Why won't you come my way  
It's so hard, I've been waiting for days  
And even if all my wishes came true  
I'd still be missing one star, it's gotta be you_

I shut it, sighing, and placed it beneath my pillow. I looked around my room. It really did seem like a drizzle of rain, what with the plain white walls and boring black and white comforters. My desk stood, cold and alone with pencils and pens neatly stacked upon the surface. Clomping down the stairs, I noticed Dad staring fondly at an old photo hung along the kitchen wall. I smiled softly, wondering whether I should break the silence.

"I miss Mom, too," I said. He quickly turned around and I giggled at his reaction, like a deer caught in headlights. "Has she called yet?"

"Last week," he replies. My smile fades slightly. "Don't worry, honey. She said she'll call this Friday." I breath in relief. "Never mind that. C'mon, I actually cooked tonight." He gestured towards our dinners awaiting on the kitchen counter. I stepped forward and peered down at the delicacies, then shot him a look.

"TV dinners, Dad? _Really_?" I asked him. I shook my head and took one, placing it in front of me and taking a seat.

"At least they're not burnt," he reasoned.

"Good point."

We chewed in silence for awhile, and it wasn't comfortable silence or awkward silence. Just... silence. The steak still tasted a tad bit cold, so I got up to warm it for an extra minute in the microwave. I leaned against the counter, the hum of the microwave filling in the void.

"Ally," he suddenly said.

"Yeah?" The microwave beeped and I carefully took out the steaming hot dinner and carried it over to my seat next to him. I popped a small slice of steak into my mouth. Oh yeah, much better.

"Are you alright?"

I stopped in midchew. "Yeah, Dad, why?"

"Because Austin hasn't called at all yet today, like he usually does," he replied. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Oh." What was I supposed to say? That Austin didn't like me, but he had his eyes on Kira, my best friend from Hawaii, who unexpectedly came back, and I thought I would be having an amazing senior year but now it's just-

"Ally, honey, you know you can talk to me," he said, interrupting my whizzing thoughts.

I stabbed the steak with my fork. "Kira's going to school with me now."

"So I've heard," he replied, popping peas into his mouth.

"Austin, Kira and I all ate lunch together," I continued, stabbing my peas this time.

"Alright."

"He offered to show her around campus." _Stabstabstabstab._

He looked at me with wide eyes before slowly taking the fork out of my hands. I felt my eyes well up and soon his arm was around me, my shoulder in the crook of his neck. I sniffled. I was supposed to be a senior, not a first grader.

"He's your best friend, Alls," he said, ruffling with my hair like he always did when I was younger. "And if you think that he's going to replace you with Kira just because she's the shiny new girl, well, think again."

I let out a small, choked laugh. "You're supposed to say that. You're my _dad._"

He pulled away and laughed. "Maybe so. But you know what I think?"

I sniffle again. "What?"

"That some girl can't just change your friendship with Austin. Maybe it's time to, you know, tell Aus-"

"Noooo!" I yell, jumping out of my chair. "Okay, conversation over. Thanks for the advice, Dad." I leaned over to hug him and give him a quick peck on the cheek before racing back upstairs to the safety of my bedroom. I slumped onto my bed.

I shouldn't.

I wouldn't.

But most importantly, I couldn't.

* * *

I shut off the lights as I snuggled into my comforters. It was on nights like these where the house fell asleep but my brain stayed awake as I battled with the voice in the back of my head.

_What if your dad is right? _

He isn't.

_How do you know?_

I just do.

_You know you want to tell him._

Actually, I don't know. So why don't you just leave me alone?

I sighed and debated my choices. Perhaps I did tell Austin. If he liked me back... Well. I would burst into tears of joy, hug him, and before I could stop myself, kiss him. We would stroll through the hallways, with people's smiles in approval as the gossip flew that our so called platonic friendship was not so platonic after all. He would bring me to fancy cafes for our anniversaries and attempt to feed me chocolate cake. He would grab my hand when he realized it was missing in his and intertwine our fingers. We would be happy.

We _could _be happy.

But if he didn't like me back... I bit my lip and squeezed my pillow tightly to my chest. That's exactly what I was afraid of, the _what ifs_. What if he avoided me? What if he laughed?

What if it ruined our friendship? Austin and I have spent so much time together that I'm not sure what life would be like without him. I grab the pillow, pull it over my head, and make sure my scream of frustration is muffled.

* * *

"Partner up!" Mrs. Jefferson called. I immediately connected eyes with Trish as we both smiled and began to make our way towards one another. Trish took my hand, squeezing it.

"Thank God you're in this class, Ally, or I'd be stuck with all these dorks," she whispered, nodding her head to the people around us, scattering around the classroom in search of a partner.

"Hey, I'm a dork too, you know," I admitted.

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Well, at least you're a fashionable dork," she replied. I looked down at my outfit for the day: a simple pink and orange floral dress paired with wedges. I smiled.

"Thanks, Trish." We sat at our desks and turned our attention back to Mrs. Jefferson. "What do you think she's going to make us do?"

"Dissect a human brain," Trish muttered. My eyes widened. "I'm only joking. An assignment of some sort, I'm guessing."

"Throughout the year we will be touching on different topics that relate to the human body, most importantly the human _mind_. The way we act, think and feel is more scientifically complicated than we think. But what I want you all to do," Mrs. Jefferson said, walking around the class and placing a single composition notebook in front of each and every one of us, "is to write and observe human actions. Make statements, draw theories and opinions. This will be your own personal experiment as to how humans work, and how their actions affect others. At the end of every week, I will be collecting your journals to simply check and make sure you're following through on your assignment."

"Why do we need partners, then?" Trish asks out loud.

"As a pair, you will be sharing one journal with your partner and working on these observations together," she explained.

"Can we observe anything?" I asked, flipping through the blank journal and itching to grab a pencil and fill the empty lines.

"Anything at all. It can be on why you think teachers give homework and how it affects students. It can be about... social media and whether you think it's wreaked havoc or become an advantage in today's society. You can even write about relationships in high school."

"Like platonic friendships?" Trish asked, looking at me with a twinkle in her eye. I felt my cheeks burning.

"That is an excellent topic to observe and take notes on, Trish," she declared, her smile stretching all the way to her eyes. "Good idea."

Trish beamed in her seat and raised her eyebrows at me. I shook my head. The entire class began to murmur as different ideas were thrown into the air. I sighed.

"Trish... platonic friendships? _Really_?" I asked.

"What? Mrs. Jefferson even said it was a good topic," she replied innocently.

I narrowed my eyes. "Okay. As long as it doesn't have anything to do with me and Austin, then-"

"Ha! So there _is _something going on between you and Austin?" She sat in front of me, pencil at the page and ready to write whatever I said. I took the pencil out of her hand.

"No," I said. "There is absolutely nothing." I couldn't help but frown at the truth.

"But you want there to be something," she said. I began to fiddle with the hem of my dress.

"Of course not," I stammered.

"Wow, you really are a terrible liar, Ally. Alright, whatever you say. How about we use this hypothesis?" My eyes averted their attention to the clean page as she wrote in big letters on the first line.

CAN BOYS AND GIRLS BE JUST FRIENDS?

I let out a small laugh and uncapped my own pen.

ALLY DAWSON: YES.

She shook her head at me, smirking.

TRISH DE LA ROSA: NO.

She sighed. "Let the observing begin."

* * *

A tall, blonde figure leaned against my locker and I broke into a grin.

"Um, excuse me, you're blocking my locker," I teased as I lightly shoved him to the side. He chuckled and stood behind me, resting his chin against my shoulder as he watched me spin my combination. I tried to relax the rate of my heartbeat and ignore the fact that he was standing so close to me.

"24-30-12..." he murmured. I smacked his head.

"Austin!" I exclaimed. I felt his laughter vibrate through me and a warm chill ran down my spine.

"As if I didn't already know your combination, Ally," he said, releasing his chin from my shoulder and instead swung an arm around me. "I need your help."

"Austin, we've barely started the school year and you already need help with your Anatomy homework?" I groaned, grabbing a notebook and shutting my locker door as we began to head to the cafeteria.

"No! No, I need your help with Kira," he sighed. "She's just so-"

"Awesome," I interrupted, feeling my throat closing in on me.

"And pretty and funny," he added, a goofy grin on his face. I felt myself plummeting. "I really want to ask her out."

"But you've barely met her!" I exclaimed, pushing his arm away from me. "You don't even know what she's _like_."

"That's why you're gonna help me," he said, slinging an arm back around me. I sighed. "Come on, Ally. Please, please, please, ple-"

"Austin," I sighed exasperatingly. "I can't."

"Why not?" he asked, frowning.

_Because you like him too much. Because your heart would break into a million pieces if you even tried, _the voice in the back of my head whispered, but I pushed it away.

"I'm..." I racked my brain for an excuse. My eyes fell upon a bright yellow flyer on the cafeteria's bulletin board. "I'm trying out for the school play!" As soon as the words fell out of my mouth, I wanted to grab each and every one of them and shove them all back down.

Austin cocked his head to the side. "The school play? Ally, you have major stage fright."

I shrugged. "I want to try and do something different this year," I explained. We took a seat at our usual table and I eyed Trish and Dez. They both waved and Austin and I waved back. "Maybe it's time for me to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

My eyes widened. "Oh no, I mean," I said, quickly backtracking before he questioned even further, "maybe it's time for me to... to step out of my box, you know? Step into the spotlight for once, just see how it feels."

He grinned. "Wow, Ally, that's great. I am so proud of you," he said. "You are going to be amazing."

"You think?" I ask, even though I have no idea what I've just gotten myself into. I'm not even sure what the play is about, what the lead part is, or even what songs are going to be sung. But maybe this won't be such a disaster after all. Maybe it really _is _time to just take this leap of faith and _try. _

"I know you will," he said, taking one of my hands in his. I could almost feel Trish's eyes from the table next to us burning a hole into my back. "And I'm going to be sitting in the front row, rooting for you all the way."

I looked into his eyes and opened my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out. I smiled instead.

"Hey guys!" a cheerful voice suddenly said. Austin quickly took his hand out of mine and smiled.

"Hey, Kira!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking a bit, something he tended to do when he was feeling nervous. I sighed, feeling the weight of my AP Psychology notebook in my bag. I locked eyes with Trish and she shot me a look.

"So," she said, dragging out the vowels, "what are you two up to?"

"Ally is going to join a play," he stated.

Her eyes widened. "Really?" she squealed. "Ally, that's great!"

"Greaty great great," I replied weakly.

"We should watch it together, Kira," he said, sending her that stupid smile of his.

She shot back a million dollar smile as well. "Yeah, sure!"

I felt my stomach clench.

"Great!" he replied, sending me his secret accomplished smile. I grinned back until my cheeks felt as if they were going to fall off.

* * *

Later that night, Dad entered my room again, without knocking. What is it about parents not knocking on your doors before they enter? It seems like common courtesy to me, but apparently not in the Dawson household. The house phone is in his hand once again. I sigh and look up from my Calculus homework.

"Dad, can you tell Kira to just call me back later?" I asked, my heart feeling weary and guilty for not wanting to talk to Kira. I didn't hate her but... why did she have to flirt with Austin? She was supposed to be my best friend.

"It's not Kira, honey, it's your mom," he answered, holding the phone out to me. I gasped and shot off my bed, quickly grabbing the phone. He chuckled, then left to prepare dinner. Which probably meant another TV dinner of some sort.

"Mom?" I said.

"Ally!" Her voice rung loud and clear through the speaker and I smiled, closing my eyes to let the sound soak through my whole body. "Oh, sweetie, I miss you so much."

"I miss you too, Mom," I replied. "How are the apes?"

"They are adorable. Ally just gave birth!" she squealed. So _that's _where I got it from.

"Ally? Mom, you named a monkey after me?" I asked in disbelief.

"At least it wasn't a tarantula, right?" she reasoned, and I giggled. "The forest is just absolutely breath taking here. Of course I have to swat flies every five seconds but it's worth it!" I wrinkled my nose at the thought of all the insects. "So how are you?"

"Could be better," I admitted. You never know how much you really need your mom until she disappears. It was awkward to ask my dad to buy pads every time he left to go run errands.

"Oh no, what's wrong?" she asked, and I heard a slapping noise in the background, probably her hand coming in contact with a fly. "Is it a boy?"

I bit my lip and sighed. "Yeah, it's a boy," I murmured, picking at a loose thread on my comforter.

"Is it Austin?" she asked softly.

"Mom..."

"Honey, everyone can see that he's not just your best friend. He's much more than that," she said. "Maybe it's time that you tell Austin how you really feel."

"You sound just like Dad," I groaned, sinking into a pillow as I pushed my homework aside.

"I love how even though we're separated we still think alike," she chuckled before continuing. "And Alls, you know I'm just telling you this because I want you to be happy. And because I want my grandchildren to be good looking."

"This is my last year of high school, Mom. I don't want to ruin it by telling Austin how I feel."

"How do you know it's going to be ruined?"

"Because I know he doesn't feel the same way."

Silence filled the air for a few measures until she spoke. "Who's the other girl?"

"Kira," I sighed.

"Kira?" she asked, clearly confused. "Isn't she in Hawaii?"

"Her dad moved his record label here to Miami so she's going to the same school now," I explained.

"Doesn't she know that you like him?"

"Yeah, but... I don't know, it's complicated."

I heard another slapping noise in the background. "Ally, if Kira was really your best friend, she wouldn't pounce on Austin."

I throw my head back and laugh. "Pounce, Mom? Really?"

"Sorry, I've been in the wild for too long!" she laughs. "But seriously, sweetie, if she goes against the girl code-"

"Mom," I groan. Next thing I know, she'll be saying OMG.

"You might need to reevaluate your friendship with her," she finished. "I have to go honey, Ally is bugging me for a snack. You know I love you, right?"

"Me or the ape?" I tease. "I love you too, Mom."

As I hang up the phone, I close my Calculus textbook. My head can't stand another look at those numbers right now. I take out the AP Psychology notebook from my bag and open it, uncapping a pen.

REASONS WHY BOYS AND GIRLS CAN BE JUST FRIENDS:

1. THEY HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR SUCH A LONG TIME THAT FEELINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO RECIPROCATE.

2. THE BOY HAS SEEN THE GIRL WITH MISSING TEETH AND TERRIBLE TUTU OUTFITS.

3. THE BOY HAS FEELINGS FOR SOMEONE ELSE, THEREFORE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LIKE THE BEST FRIEND.

I tapped my pen against the page, hoping to come up with more reasons but finding it hard to. Was Trish right? Did every boy and girl really eventually become romantically involved? I looked at a photo booth strip taped onto my wall of me and Austin, our tongues sticking out in the first picture, embracing one another in the second, pinching each other's cheeks in the third, and him ruffling my hair in the fourth.

This friendship is too platonic for me to handle.

* * *

_**I had to take occasional breaks while writing this because it was bringing back memories of when this happened to me... Yes, yes, I went through the whole "I think I like my guy best friend," "My girl best friend is moving to my school," "My guy best friend and girl best friend like each other" thing. I think that's why I'm really channeling all those memories into this story. Of course, time heals all wounds, and everything is fine now. ANYWAYS. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to review if you can or if you want to so I know how I'm doing and just so that I can hear your lovely opinions. Friendly reminder: You are all amazing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise!**_


	4. Chapter 4: Broken Record

_**Hey there everyone! Has anyone told you guys that you're all amazing, because that's exactly what you are. Thank you SO MUCH for every review, favorite, and follow. I appreciate it so much. In bigger news, did you hear that in the next Austin & Ally episode Austin performs a song called "Timeless?" The lyrics are so sweet, I already heard it (I can't stay away from spoilers).**_

_**Since so many people were asking about my situation with liking my best guy friend, I'll explain it quickly: We've known one another since the beginning of high school. I immediately grew feelings for him but brushed them aside because I didn't want to risk our friendship. So I liked other guys throughout the years, but to be honest... he was my "what if." Before Junior Year, my girl best friend called to inform me that she would be attending high school with me. I was super excited, who wouldn't be? She knew that I'd really liked him, yet when I introduced them... you know. Lots of confusion and drama unfolded because she had told me that she didn't like him, but people were telling me otherwise. She finally confessed to me about two months later that she did in fact like him, and that they were going out. I let it go and just accepted that. My best guy friend and I are still extremely close, and while my "best" girl friend and I are on good terms, we're not close anymore and probably never will be. As of now, I don't like anyone, but I'm okay and I don't have any feelings for my best guy friend anymore. He's more like a brother. **_

_**For those of you out there who may be going through a similar situation, let me tell you that it gets better. And maybe things will change, but keep your head high and soldier on. You have a whole life ahead of you and many more amazing people and boys to meet. You will be okay. Alright, enough ranting, here we go!**_

* * *

Trish grilled me with questions as soon as we entered AP Psychology.

"Did you write in the notebook? Are Austin and Kira going out yet? Did you tell Austin how you really feel?"

"Trish!" I snapped. "Please, it's Friday, enough with the questioning. Yes, I did. No, they're not. And no, definitely no to the last one."

Her shoulders slumped but her face brightened as I passed the notebook to her. She flipped it open and chuckled. "He's seen you in a tutu?" she asked.

I felt myself turn beet red. "It was a ballet class that I took when I was seven. I didn't want to, my dad forced me!" I exclaimed. "The truth is, I can't dance to save my life."

"That's actually not a shocker, Ally," she snorted. I narrowed my eyes at her as she sent me an innocent smile. "So, now that you mention it, do you have any plans for tonight?"

I beamed happily. "Actually, yes. Austin and I are going to Pancake Central tonight."

Pancake Central had become our tradition about three years ago, when Austin's obsession with pancakes hit an all time high. Every Friday, summer, winter, fall or spring, we drove there in his pick up truck, just the two of us. It was why I looked forward to Fridays so much. We sat in the same booth, ordered one giant heap of pancakes, and drowned them in syrup as we shared the plate together and talked for what seemed like forever.

"Like on a date?" Trish asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"No," I answered. "We're just friends, Trish."

"Whatever you say, Ally," she replied. "Have you talked to Kira lately?"

I frowned. "Actually no, not really," I replied. And it was the truth. She hadn't called or texted in what seemed like ages, and while we waved and smiled at each other through the halls, something in my gut kicked every time I saw her. I hated that feeling.

"Maybe she's just busy," Trish said reassuringly. I softly smiled and nodded. Kira said she didn't like Austin that way, and I trusted her word on that. "Anyways, I found these really interesting articles online about platonic friendships. I think that we can maybe paste them into the notebook instead of writing down each and every word."

I nodded and began to leaf through the articles she handed me. I frowned and laughed at quite a few of them. "_New research suggests that there may be some truth to this possibility- that we may think we're capable of being 'just friends' with members of the opposite sex, but the opportunity (or perceived opportunity) for 'romance' is often lurking just around the corner, waiting to pounce at the most inopportune moment_," I read, my eyes skimming down the page. "That is totally ridiculous. Not all opposite sexes fall for one another, Trish."

She rolled her eyes. "That's why the article says that while we may think that's true, romance is still a lurking possibility."

I shook my head. "It's crazy."

"Is it?" she asked. I bit my lip. "Ally, I'm just trying to prove a point here."

"Well maybe you should stop," I said. Silence filled in the spaces of our conversation for a few moments before I spoke. "I'm sorry... It's just... I have a lot on my plate right now, okay? I'm being replaced. I have to audition for a school play when I can barely sing in front of stuffed animals. I have to redecorate my room... you see?"

She nodded. "That is a lot to have on one plate. I'm sorry, Ally."

"It's okay. I just don't know how I'm going to deal with all of this," I sighed, running my fingers through my loose curls. A mischievous smile grew upon Trish's face. "What?"

"Your hair," she said suddenly.

"What about it?" I asked, looking down at my brown strands.

"Maybe if you did a little something to it, Austin would notice you."

"I would never change myself for a boy, Trish, not even Austin," I reasoned.

"It's not changing, it's... enhancing. Look, Ally, maybe I can help you. You're already pretty, smart, and funny. Maybe all you need is a little polishing up, that's all." Her eyes shone with the opportunity of a possible make over, making my stomach feel queasy.

"I don't know..." I said uneasily. "I'll have to think about it. He's my best friend, Trish. I don't want to jeopardize that."

She grabs the articles from my hands and shoves them inside the notebook. "He'll want to be more than just friends once I'm finished with you."

* * *

I sat in my room, putting the finishing touches on my outfit. A loose lace black tee paired with gray leggings and blue flats. I always dressed casual for Pancake Central. I couldn't help but look in the mirror as I observed my facial features. I was pale, paler than a snowstorm. My cheeks were the faintest rosy color and my brown eyes seemed a little dull. I stared at my hair, picking at my strands. Was Trish right? Would Austin notice me if I looked a little different? If I "enhanced" myself? My phone rung, making me jump away from the mirror.

"Hello?" I answered, grabbing my bag, already heading out the door.

"I'm here! Oh yeah, and Ally-"

"Okay, I'm coming down Austin," I said, hitting the END button. "Bye, Dad, I'm going to PC with Austin!"

"Be back by eleven!" he called as I ran towards Austin's pick up truck. There was just one problem: he wasn't in his pick up truck. I spotted a blonde head inside a silver Volvo and carefully strolled towards it.

"Austin?" I peeped. "Where's Shelby?"

"You named your pick up truck Shelby?" a voice incredulously asked. Confused, I turned to the passenger seat.

"Kira?" I asked. "What are you doing here?" Then I bit my lip, hoping I didn't sound hostile.

"Austin invited me to go to Pancake Central with you guys," she said cheerfully. Austin nodded, smiling in the driver's seat.

"That's what I was trying to tell you over the phone, Ally," he explained. I felt my heart deflate.

"Oh," I said. "It's fine! This is gonna be great, the three of us. Kinda like the three musketeers." I managed a weak laugh as I pulled open the door and took a seat in the back. My spot was already taken.

* * *

They sat on one side of the booth...

I sat on the other. Trying very hard to steady my breathing before I exploded, I looked down at the menu instead of the sight in front of me which was making every inch of my body ache. Original pancakes. Chocolate chip pancakes. Blueberry pancakes. Strawberry pancakes. Fondue pancakes. Dark choc-

"So Ally, auditions for the play are coming up," Austin suddenly said, interrupting my speed reading process. "Do you know what you're gonna sing yet?"

My eyes flickered to Kira, who was attentively staring at me. This felt wrong, all of it. There were only supposed to be two individuals here, not three. I was supposed to have sat next to Austin in the passenger seat of his pick up truck, not her. And as much as I loved Kira, as much as I knew how kind and funny she could be, I could not understand for the life of me why this was all unraveling so quickly.

"I'm thinking of singing an original, actually," I replied calmly, forcing myself to smile, hoping it didn't look strained.

"That is so cool!" Kira squealed. "So you're still writing songs, then?"

"Oh, trust me, she's always writing songs. Ally is the best song writer I know," Austin gushed. I felt myself smile genuinely for the first time that night.

"I can imagine. I mean, she almost got signed to a record label," Kira said. I froze in my seat. I'd never told Austin about Kira's dad's job, never mind the fact that I had almost gotten famous because of it. Austin's biggest dream was to become a singer.

"A record label?" Austin asked, shooting me a look. I sheepishly looked down at my hands. "How did that happen?"

"She never told you?" Kira asked, looking at me. I tried to send her a sign, something along the words of _please-don't_. "My dad has his own record label, Starr records, and-"

"Wait, your dad is _Jimmy Starr_?" Austin asked. He laughed. "That is beyond cool!" I sunk in my seat.

"Thanks!" Kira said, continuing. "Well Ally won this piano contest and got a trip to Hawaii, which is where we met." She smiled at me and I weakly smiled back. "My dad wanted to sign Ally but her dad wouldn't allow it. You know how Mr. Dawson is."

Austin scoffed. "Oh yeah, he doesn't want Ally going anywhere near show business, right Ally?" he asked me. I sent him a glare that he didn't decipher. I wanted to sink into a puddle. "Is your dad still on the look out for signing people?"

"Sure he is!" Kira said. "He's actually looking for a fresh young face right now."

Austin pointed to his face and gave his most charming smile. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "I'm fresh and young!" he teased. Kira giggled. I smiled but died inside.

"Does he have any special talents, Ally?" Kira asked. I nodded.

"He sings and dances and can play almost any instrument," I admitted. "He's great."

"Well maybe I can hook something up, tell my dad about you," Kira suggested. Austin's face instantly lit up.

"That would be so awesome!" he yelled, wrapping an arm around her. I cringed. "You're the best Kira!"

She smiled. "It's really no problem. I'd do anything for Ally's best friend."

There were those two words again: best friend. I was really beginning to despise them.

"This is great," Austin sighed, still not removing his arm. "Ally, you're going to audition for the school play while I might get a chance at fame! Isn't this great?"

I sighed. "Greaty great great." Unintentional or not, she had him in the palm of her hand while I was just another background.

* * *

My eyes floated to my ceiling as the TV lit up my bedroom. I didn't even want to think about what had happened earlier at the diner. I had picked on a few pieces of the pancakes while Austin and Kira flirted by fighting one another with their forks. I tried sending Kira desperate confused looks but she didn't seem to be getting them. Who was I kidding?

Austin was a good looking, funny, charming, talented seventeen year old boy. I should have known that I wasn't the only one who couldn't resist him. If she didn't like him, then why was she acting like she did? The truth was becoming a bright blur that I didn't want to look at anymore. I brought my attention back to the Laguna Beach marathon I was having. LC and Stephen were a perfect match, two best friends, just like Austin and I. If only Kristin hadn't been in the picture...

A sudden knock on my window made me scream. The bowl of popcorn that I'd been holding flew all over my comforters and the hard wood floor. I spotted a dash of a blonde head and ran to open the window.

"Austin, what are you doing here?!" I screeched. His hair had a few leaves in them.

"I climbed a tree," he said, grinning. "Let me in."

"It's almost 2 in the morning," I sighed but moved aside anyway, making room for him to come through. He gently jumped onto my floor and smirked at the sight of all the popcorn. I glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"You already asked that," he said, chuckling as he plopped onto my bed.

"That's because you haven't answered my question," I snapped. "Move your butt." He did as he was told and I plopped down next to him. This wasn't the first time he'd come in the middle of the night unexpectedly.

"I'm sorry about the diner earlier," he sighed. Time froze for a moment and the only sounds that could be heard was the conversation flowing back and forth on the screen between LC and Stephen. Finally, I cleared my throat.

"Sorry for what?" I asked.

"For bringing Kira along unexpectedly. I know you're kinda mad," he mumbled. I turned to look at him, his blonde hair hanging right above his light brown eyes that held glimmering flecks of the TV screen in their reflection. He turned to look at me as well and I felt my body relax.

"I wasn't mad," I sighed. "I was just... surprised, that's all."

"I just really like her, Ally," he admitted.

"I know you do," I replied, even though it hurt to say so.

"But I promise I'll make it up to you. Next week, Pancake Central, just us, like we always do," he said, smiling.

"Promise?" I asked, holding up my pinky as my mind floated back to that summer night. He laughed, linking his pinky with mine.

"Promise," he murmured, wrapping me into a hug. I punched the side of his stomach, shoving his arm away. "Ow! What was that for?"

"That was for making me waste my bowl of popcorn! You owe me that, too!" I giggled as I lay my head onto his shoulder, our eyes both on the TV screen as Austin changed the channel to an old cartoon. His arm wrapped around me once more.

"Ally?" he said.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for always being there for me," he said.

I sighed, the words tumbling out of my mouth like a broken record. "That's what best friends are for."

* * *

_**Sorry if this chapter was ehh. This week is a little busy, I just took my senior portraits yesterday. My school takes them before the year actually starts; I just can't believe this is really my last year of high school! But there is more drama and twists that are going to unfold so stay tuned and bear with me! Thank you SO much for reading, and don't forget to review if you can so that I know how I'm doing. To all those Guests that are reviewing, you are greatly appreciated as well! I try to reply back to all your guys' reviews just to thank each and every one of you. You are all LOVELY. **_


	5. Chapter 5: Glowing Lights

_**Hello there lovelies! Okay, it never gets old when my e-mail pings and alerts me that you guys are reviewing my stories and chapters. I love how we're only on Chapter 4 but I have 40 reviews, may not be a lot but to me it is. So I love you ALL for that, especially you, Guest people! I hope you're all having an amazing summer, I know that I'm just here at home watching The Fosters, Twisted, Austin & Ally (DUH), Tumblr-ing (even though I don't have a Tumblr, I'm on it all the time) and looking at YouTube videos... yeah. Okay, this chapter is chalk full of all kinds of twists and turns so let's get started, BA-BAM! ...Yeah, I don't know what that was either...**_

* * *

My hands are shaking and I'm not quite sure if I can do this. The songbook is in my lap, and it all seems too surreal. I've never performed one of my own songs before, adding onto the fact that I've never even performed in front of _people, _much less for an _audition_.

"Trish, I don't know if I can do this..." I said uneasily, my stomach doing flips and forming butterflies.

"Yes you can!" she replied encouragingly. Next to her, the familiar red head Dez nodded his head.

"Yeah, Ally, there's no need to be nervous! There's just an audience watching you and spotlights on you and-"

"Dez!" Trish snapped, shaking her head at him. I fought the urge to chew on my hair, a nasty habit I tended to do when I got extremely nervous. "You gotta relax, Ally. It's just a school play."

I sighed, nodding and taking deep breaths, inhaling the air almost violently. "You're right. You're right, I just need to relax and-"

"Ally!" a voice called. My body froze as I carefully peeped my head from behind the curtain, peering through the faces in the audience until I spotted a blonde head. Luckily, Kira wasn't with him for once. I weakly waved back, then hurriedly pushed the curtain back in its place.

"Trish, he's here!" I screeched, hyperventilating and waving my hands in the air.

"Who, Austin?!" she asked. I nodded, my breathing becoming short and urgent.

"This is great!" Dez exclaimed cheerfully. Trish and I shot him a glare. She placed her hands on my shoulders.

"Ally. You are going to kick some serious butt out there, trust me," she declared. "Prove everyone wrong for once."

I grinned, feeling myself instantly relax. "You know, Trish, you really are a great friend."

She threw her hands up in the air and giggled. "I know right?" We both laughed as I stared at my original lyrics one last time. This was it. This was my moment to prove myself, to prove that I could be anything I wanted to be if I just _tried_. I'd been leafing through my songbook, searching for the perfect song that I could possibly audition with, but I couldn't find one. So the only choice I had left was...

"Next!" a loud voice called.

...to write a new one.

Trish squeezed my hand and Dez gave me a thumbs up... well his thumbs were down but he had a smile plastered on his face, so I'm sure he meant to face them in the other direction. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. The spotlight blinded my vision and for a moment all I could see was bright white, so I averted my attention to something else, my eyes searching for that familiar blonde head.

The smile on his face made my heart race, and even when my brain racked for lyrics to describe the moment, nothing could even compare to just how amazing his charming grin made me feel.

"So, Ms. Ally Dawson," a brown wavy haired lady sitting at a table in front of me stated, her voice echoing throughout the theater. "The Little Mermaid, are you familiar with it?"

I nodded. "It's my favorite Disney movie," I gushed. I could almost make out Austin smirking in his seat. He'd had The Little Mermaid marathons with me before, which included me belting along with Ariel and combing my hair with forks. He was the only person who had ever heard me really sing, so it was comforting that he was here for moral support.

"And what will you be performing for us today?" she asked, her tone sounding almost weary.

"An original song," I murmured. Her eyes lit up at this statement.

"This should be interesting then," she sighed, her lips forming a small smile. I handed the piano sheet music to the player, who took it eagerly. The melody filled the air and I carefully opened my mouth.

_When we touch it's like_

_It's only me and you in the room_

_Just us two_

_And when you smile it's like_

_Our worlds collide_

_The sky burns bright_

_The two of us would be like rain_

_We fall then get back up again_

_So don't give up on us, baby_

_Don't give up on us, baby_

The auditorium was filled with complete silence and suddenly, there was thunderous applause. I sighed and smiled, wishing I had gotten the nerve to step onto a stage sooner if I had known it would feel this good. I practically ran off the stage and hugged Trish and Dez as soon as I was behind the curtain.

"That was amazing!" Trish squealed.

"You were like Hannah Montana," Dez added.

"Ally," a voice said, and I turned around.

"Austin!" I exclaimed, smiling and jumping into his arms.

"You were perfect out there," he said, his arms wrapping themselves around my waist as his head tucked into my shoulder. "You're going to get the lead role for sure."

I pulled away to look at him. "You think?" I asked.

"I know," he replied. I grinned. Trish cleared her throat. We slowly let go of each other and I shot her a look.

"Austin, you know Trish and Dez," I stated.

"Hi," Trish said, sizing Austin up with her eyes. I felt him shrink slightly behind me and I tried to stifle a giggle.

"Hey man!" Dez exclaimed, practically running up to him. The two did a hand shake of some sort, probably something that could only be deciphered if we were in their brains, which I wasn't planning to try any time soon.

"We're in the same Anatomy class," they said simultaneously, then began to laugh. Trish and I looked at each other as we rolled our eyes in synch.

"Do you guys really think I did okay?" I asked, fidgeting with the hem of my coral blue skirt.

"Yes," they all replied in unison before shooting one another strange looks.

"Okay, we really need to stop doing that," I sighed, giggling. "Austin, thank you so much for coming."

He grinned and I felt my heart drop. Trish nudged my arm. "You know I'd do anything for you," he said, ruffling my hair. "Hey, who was that song for?"

My smile faltered. "Th-the song?" I stammered. "Oh, well-"

"It was nothing!" Trish chimed in, nervously laughing. "She just wrote it during AP Psychology."

I vigorously nodded my head. "Exactly, what she said."

Austin blinked, then shrugged his shoulders. "Cool." His phone chimed and he took it out of his pocket. "Oh, I gotta go. Kira needs help with her science project."

"Are you sure that's all she needs help with?" Trish mumbled.

"What?" Austin asked.

"She said-" Dez began but I quickly cut him off.

"Nothing! She said nothing! Run along now," I breathed.

"Alright, I'll see you later, Ally!" he called, wrapping me in one last hug before he dashed away to his lady in waiting. I sighed, my shoulders slumping.

"Are you sure she doesn't like him?" Trish questioned, folding her arms.

"Honestly," I said, watching him run off in the distance, "I don't know anymore."

* * *

"Lights," I murmured to myself as I strolled down the aisles.

"I think I found them!" Austin called. I gasped and ran to the next aisle.

"Those don't look like lights, Austin," I laughed. His face was swarmed by gigantic purple sunglasses that sat atop his nose. "We're supposed to be looking for lights that I can hang up in my room, remember?"

He grinned. "Yes ma'am," he said, saluting to me while taking the sunglasses off and placing them back on its hook. "Tell me why you suddenly want to redecorate your room again?"

"Because," I replied, searching the racks. "I need change. I'm a senior now, but the last time I redecorated my room was when I turned twelve."

"So that's why you have a Powerpuff girls poster on your wall..." he murmured. I lightly punched him in the arm before spotting an employee.

"Oh, excuse me!" I called, walking up to the blue vested woman. "Do you have any room lights, kinda like Christmas lights almost?"

As she turned around, I gaped at the figure. "Trish?" I asked. "I thought you worked at the Coffee Kiosk."

She shrugged and smiled. "I got fired from there last week. Apparently you're not allowed to write Bozo on every person's cup." I shook my head in distress. "I'm working at Craftsy now."

I nodded. "I can see that."

"Hey Trish!" Austin exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

She bluntly pointed at her vest and Austin's face lit up in recognition. "Anyways, I think lights are in aisle 9. Or is it 10?" Trish questioned, tapping her chin. "Yeah, I just started today, sorry."

I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling and dragged Austin to aisle 9. I sighed in relief. "She actually got it right," I said. Trish had a well-known reputation for holding various numbers of jobs, all of which she only worked at it for a day or two. I was positive that her resume was probably around eight pages.

"What about these?" Austin asked, holding up a long string of pink lights. My nose wrinkled in distaste.

"Nah," I replied, shaking my head. I racked through the varieties of lights but nothing seemed to match exactly what I was picturing in my mind. I sighed, running my fingers through my brown locks. The sudden offer from Trish to experiment with my hair suddenly came to mind and I felt my cheeks turn pink as I glanced at Austin, who was frowning and searching through the racks as well. I wasn't about to turn into just another cliche and change myself for a boy simply because I liked him, but... the word "enhance" did have a nice ring to it. Maybe Trish could make me glow brighter...

Maybe by enhancing myself, Austin would notice and-

"Ally, I think I found the ones!" Austin exclaimed cheerfully as he held a white string of softly glowing lights. I felt myself break out into a grin as I observed how the lights reflected off his light brown eyes. He was glowing. Maybe someday I could glow along with him.

"Perfect," I murmured, taking them from his hands.

* * *

"A little more to the left... _there_," I sighed in satisfaction at the sight of the new lights hanging along the walls of my room. Austin turned around from his stance on the step stool and laughed.

"Your face right now is just priceless," he said, imitating me by widening his eyes and smiling a little too wide. I folded my arms.

"Don't make me push you off that step stool," I threatened. He shook his head, still laughing, and stepped back down onto the hard wood floor.

"I can't believe I spent this whole Saturday helping you with _lights_," he declared. I placed my hands on my hips.

"I am offended," I gasped sarcastically, throwing a small pillow on my bed at him. He opened his mouth in surprise, then cocked his eyebrows at me.

"So you really want to start that, huh?" he asked. I squealed and tried to make a run for the door, but I felt a pair of strong hands grab at my waist and pull me back. His fingers brushed beneath my shirt for a moment before he started an all out tickle war, knowing full well that my stomach was my weak spot.

"Austin!" I yelled, gasping for air in between my laughter. "Please...stop!"

I felt my back hit against the bed and my face was growing warm from the peals of laughter that continued to spill out of me. I opened my eyes and grew quiet, noticing our position: him on his knees crouched above me, his face only inches away from me. I gulped at the sight of his body being so close to mine. Was he moving closer, or was that just my imagination?

"The lights," I whispered before he could move any closer, making him pull away, blinking rapidly as if he had been in a trance. My heart was literally beating out of my chest. We both got up from the bed and stared at one another for a moment. I walked over to my light switch and watched my room turn into a night sky.

"Woah," he murmured. "Come on." He gently took my hand and moved the both of us towards the bed as we lay on our backs in silence.

"It's beautiful," I sighed, smiling at the sight of my glowing room.

"It's like you brought the night into your room," he added, turning to look at me.

"Now all I need is the moon... oh wait, you're here," I giggled.

He rolled his eyes but laughed along. "You know what this reminds me of?"

"What?" I asked, turning to him as well.

"That night when my parents and your parents took us out to catch fireflies."

I tilted my head back, laughing. "I remember that. We were, what, nine?"

"You wore your Dora the Explorer hat," he chimed in. I wanted to capture his laugh and trap it inside a jar, or even better, turn it into the best song ever. Who wouldn't want to keep his laugh on repeat?

"At least I wasn't the one wearing a cape," I teased. "You were obsessed with Superman."

"He's awesome," he defended. "It was so dark; you wouldn't let go of my hand."

I blushed at the thought. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay," he murmured, his eyes twinkling. Silence lapsed around us and the only sounds were our steady breathing.

"I miss being a kid," I sighed. "We didn't have to worry about anything yet, didn't have to worry about the future or college... the only things that mattered were the cartoons on TV and who reached the playground first at recess."

He chuckled. "I remember one time you turned purple from being upside down on the monkey bars for too long," he said.

"You remember a lot of things," I pointed out. Austin shrugged his shoulders.

"All my best memories are with you," he admitted. I felt my heart instantly warm.

"Do you think I'll be okay?" I asked. For a moment I watched his face as he pondered the meaning of the question.

"I know," he replied. "I know that you're going to get the part in the play, and I know that whatever happens in the future, you'll succeed at it." He turned to look at the lights. "You'll be happy. That's all that matters, right?"

I followed his actions, turning to stare at the lights as well. "Right."

* * *

My eyes quickly scanned the list as I squeezed both Trish's and Dez's hand. A week had passed, and the list for who had made it into the school play had finally been posted on the bulletin board. My breath hitched as I landed on my name.

_Ally Dawson ... Ariel_

I slowly turned around before shouting out in joy. Trish squealed along with me, and Dez began to jump and skip around in circles.

"Ally!" a familiar voice called, and I turned around only to come face to face with Kira. Austin stood next to her. "Did you get the part?"

I felt my smile fade for a moment, but Trish lightly kicked my foot. The smile returned. "I did!" I exclaimed. She grinned. It seemed genuine enough, but when I looked down and saw just how close her and Austin's hands were touching, my gut kicked again.

"I told you, Ally!" Austin said, smiling enthusiastically.

"That's so awesome!" Kira added. "We are definitely going to come and see the play, right Austin?"

I watched his face light up at the sound of that _we_.

"Yeah? Well... so are _we_!" Dez said defensively, moving next to Trish. I secretly smiled at Dez's sudden need to protect me. I had grown quite close to the strange red head throughout the past couple of weeks, and his odd mannerisms were becoming more and more normal to me. "Hey, who's playing Eric?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I actually didn't look," I said, as we all turned back towards the list.

_Elliot Johnson ... Eric_

"Oh my gosh," Trish whispered. We all turned to her in curiosity.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Do you know who that _is_?" she squealed, her face breaking out into a grin.

"No..." I replied. "Am I supposed to?"

"Girl! That is Elliot Johnson, captain of the football team and our class president! He is... as cliche as it sounds... the most popular guy in school!"

I blinked at her. "Oh."

"And..." Dez said, checking his phone. "_Beep beep! _Hunk alert!"

I giggled, shaking my head. "I've seriously never heard of him before."

"I wonder why," Trish mumbled, and I shot her a look. I turned to glance at Austin and caught him frowning at the list.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. He snapped out of it and vigorously nodded his head.

"Nothing, I just..."

"Are you Ally?" a voice asked. I turned around and came into contact with an extremely good looking, brown haired, built boy about my age. His smile could make millions swoon.

I made a sound that resembled something of a seal dying. Trish shoved my arm.

"I'm Elliot," he said, introducing himself.

A gargle came out of my throat.

He stared at me oddly but brushed it away. "Well, I'm just glad my leading lady is guh-orgeous," he chuckled. I broke out of my trance and sent him a genuine smile.

"Thanks," I softly replied.

"I'm Dez, big fan," Dez blurted out, smiling and offering his hand out to be shaken. Trish glared at him.

"He's not a celebrity, dumbie," she snapped, but turned to give Elliot a wide smile. "But since we're doing introductions, I'm Trish."

"This is Kira and Austin," I added. Austin had his hands stiffly stuck in his pockets and I shot him an _are-you-okay _look. Kira, on the other hand, gave a bubbly wave and smile.

"Oh, Austin! Yeah, you're Ally's best friend," Elliot noted. I felt Austin relax a little and smile.

"That's me," he said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I took a glance at Kira and noticed her frowning. Why was she frowning if she'd _said _that she didn't like Austin? I looked over at Trish, who had thankfully noticed it, too. She rolled her eyes at me while I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting to start anything.

"Well I'll see you guys later. I have football practice," Elliot sighed, but sent me a wink. "I'll see you around, Ally."

I felt Austin's grip around me tighten and I stared at him confusingly before cheerfully waving at Elliot. I turned to Trish, a bright grin on my face. My cheeks hadn't hurt so much from smiling since... well, _forever_.

"He's..." I sighed.

"Perfect? Charming? Every girl's dream?" she asked, listing the characteristics off her fingertips. Austin snorted.

"He's not that perfect," he said.

"He is," Dez replied. I stared at Elliot as he turned a corner down the hall and disappeared. Austin and Kira bid their goodbyes as they sped off to who knows where. I slumped against the bulletin board in despair. Trish patted my shoulder and Dez smiled reassuringly.

"At least you got the part," Dez said. I sighed, nodding my head.

Trish pulled something out of her backpack. "By the way, you're in charge of the notebook tonight," she stated, handing me the AP Psychology composition book. I groaned, taking the item from her as we headed towards my locker.

My load just a whole lot heavier.

* * *

_**Whew, I told you this chapter was a hand full! Yay, Ally got the part, not to mention the privilege of getting to work with the most popular guy in school. How do you think Austin feels about this? And what is with Kira's dirty looks? I made sure to add lots more Trish and Dez in this chapter because it was requested, and I felt happy to oblige. I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Don't forget to review so I know how I'm doing. I AM SENDING VIRTUAL HUGS TO ALL OF YOU. **_


	6. Chapter 6: Post-Its

_**You guys are seriously beyond the valley of absolutely AMAZING! We've already hit over 60 reviews and I'm only on Chapter 5! I appreciate each and every one of you, truly. And all those favorites and follows... I'm blessed. Guest people, you guys are killing me because I want to reply back to your reviews sooo bad because yours are the sweetest, but I can't! Anyways, I just wanted to say thank you. Because so many people requested a jealous Austin, you guys are gonna get one. **_

_**Okay, here we go...**_

* * *

There are countless articles on the internet overflowing with facts about platonic friendships. I attempt to rub the sleep that is beginning to fill my weary eyes from staring at the laptop screen for too long. I have to fill the notebook with at least _something _new, some viable piece of information that will support my point that boys and girls can, in fact, be just friends. I click on a link that seems enticing enough.

_pla-to-nic  
Adjective  
1. Of or associated with the Greek philosopher Plato or his ideas.  
2. (of love or friendship) Intimate and affection but not sexual. _

I sigh, writing that down in the notebook. That seems pretty accurate: Austin and I hug and touch all the time, but we're not... The sudden thought of it makes my cheeks burn. I've never even kissed a boy, having sex is an entirely different level that I'm reserving for someone special. I scroll down the page and click on another link.

_"The belief that men and women can't be friends comes from another era in which women were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for romance," explained Linda Sapadin, a psychologist in Valley Stream, New York. "Now they work together and share sports interests and socialize together." _

I almost wish Trish was here to read this with me. See? Platonic friendships do exist. As my pencil scratches against the page, a bad taste enters my mouth and I realize it's dissatisfaction. I shut my laptop and notebook. My bedroom ceiling seems to hold all the answers these days. The internet states that platonic friendships exist, and maybe they do.

But does that mean that Austin and I are going to stay this way forever, simply platonic, nothing more? More importantly, do I want to share only a platonic friendship with Austin? My mind drifts into yet another daydream as I imagine what it would be like to date Austin.

He would buy me jars and jars of pickles. He would give me his jacket when the wind was whipping right through me.

The real truth of it all was that in this friendship, only my heart was willing to give itself up. Austin's heart was already taken.

"What should I do?" I whispered. The ceiling, of course, didn't answer.

* * *

"Shelby!" I squealed, running up to the familiar pick up truck. I practically hugged the side door as I climbed into my rightful spot. "I missed you."

"Me or the car?" Austin teased as his foot lightly placed itself against the pedal and we began our daily drive to Pancake Central.

I rolled my eyes. "The car," I replied. He pouted. "Alright, and you." He grinned. "I see Kira isn't convening with us today."

He took a glance at me, blinking in confusion.

"Kira's not with us," I stated in simpler terms, laughing and shaking my head.

"Oh, right," Austin said. "It's not my fault you speak fancy. I speak chill."

I rolled down the window and let the cool night air blow a breeze through my hair. The radio was playing an old song that I couldn't quite remember the title to at the moment, but it would come back to me later. Finally, a Friday alone with him. These moments were lessening bit by bit, and I tried to savor the ones we did manage to have together.

"I promised you that the next time, it'd be just the two of us, remember?" he asked.

"I forgot," I lied, biting my lip to keep myself from smiling. I just wanted to hear him say it.

He gasped mockingly. "Ally Dawson, forgetting something? I've never heard of such a thing!"

I giggled as he parked in an open spot and we both hopped out of the car, our sights soaking in the familiarity of the diner. As we took a seat in our regular booth, he opened his mouth and said the stupidest thing in the entire history of stupid Austin Moon moments.

"So, that Elliot is something, hm?"

I slowly pulled the menu away from my face and cocked an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know you played for that team, Austin."

His eyes grew wide. "Not like _that_!" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I just meant that he's really... well known at school, that's all."

"What about it?" I asked, deciding on our usual large platter of original pancakes.

"I've heard he has a reputation, you know," he commented. I smirked in amusement.

"For what, being the nicest guy on Earth?"

Austin shot me a look. "No, for easily charming girls."

I let out a loud laugh before I realized he was serious. "Austin, come on, _Elliot_? He seems harmless."

"Just be careful, alright?" he sighed, telling the waitress our order before he continued. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I can handle heartache, Austin," I said, and it came out a little snippier than I expected it to. All these platonic friendship articles were messing with my mind, and the line between what my mind claimed was right and what my heart wanted was becoming a blur.

"Since when have you experienced heartache?" he asked, giving me his full attention now. I felt myself squirm in my seat.

"Oh, you know," I said, waving away the discussion with my hand. "It's nothing."

_Pleasedon'taskpleasedon'taskpleasedo-_

"Now I have to know," he whined. "Who was it?"

I shook my head. "I was only kidding. Do you seriously think I've fallen in love with someone?" I scoffed. "I don't have time for that right now."

"Why not?" The question threw me off guard and I blinked in surprise.

"Well... I'm really busy right now. I'm going to be the lead role in a play. I have an AP Psychology project to work on. There's a lot on my plate." The conversation seemed strangely familiar and I realized that I had just explained this to Trish not more than a week ago.

"You don't make time for love. Love makes time for you," he stated. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, come on, Austin," I replied. "Do you really believe in that?"

For a moment his eyes shone with such intensity that I couldn't stop looking at them, his usual light brown turning s shade darker. "Yeah," he murmured. "I do."

The platter of pancakes was set on the table and I jumped at the sudden action. I cleared my throat, immediately stabbing my fork into the syrupy goodness. "So you're really in love with Kira, then?" I forced myself to ask.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I think so."

"You think so or you _know_?"

He stuck his fork into the pancakes, cutting a small slice. "How do you know you're in love with someone, anyway?"

"Well," I began, "time slows down and... all you can see is that person. And you know that you want to spend the rest of your life with them." I fiddled with the hem of my tank top and took another bite of the pancakes to steady my racing heart.

"Time slows down?" Austin snorts. "Seriously?"

I frown. "What?"

"You are so cheesy," he laughs, adding more syrup onto the heap.

"Hey, you asked! And would you stop adding so much syrup; you're gonna get fat," I teased, sticking my tongue out at him. He flexed his arms and I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, I don't think so," he replied. "But thanks for trying."

I giggled and tried to savor this moment, simple but sweet, just like our pancakes.

* * *

"The script is really long," I said, my stomach turning as I flipped through the pages of the seemingly heavy packet that I suddenly had to memorize.

"I know right," Elliot replied. "It's longer than my AP Calculus tests."

I looked up to smile at him, quite impressed. "You're in AP Calculus?" I asked. He nodded. Rehearsals for The Little Mermaid were finally beginning today, and we settled around the stage waiting for the drama teacher to enter. The stage seemed almost bear without wearing its usual bright spotlight, but I felt relieved that I didn't have to worry about being blinded.

Trish and Dez had been happy to drop me off because they were doing volunteer work on the campus, so it was a one way route. The drama crew was surprisingly versatile, and while it did include a few exotically dressed people with wild hair colors, it also held a handful of the hierarchy. I felt comforted at the thought that everyone appeared to feel comfortable with one another; there was no room for putting up a front.

"So what made you want to join the play?" I asked.

"You," he replied, and I felt my cheeks turn pink, remembering Austin's warning to take caution. "I'm just messing with you."

I sighed in relief. "Oh, okay good."

"Would it be so bad, though?" he asked, sending me a slightly hurt look.

"Oh no, no, no, that's not what I meant!" I quickly exclaimed, placing a hand on his shoulder in reassurance.

He broke out into a grin. "I'm just messing with you," he laughed, and I stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter, smacking his shoulder. "But if it gets you to touch me then I'll continue."

"Let me guess, you're just messing with me?" I stated.

"Nope," he said, getting up from his seat. I blinked as he lent me a helping hand, which I gladly took. So maybe he was a flirt, so what? "I think me and you are going to be just fine."

"You and I," I corrected, then bit my lip in embarrassment.

"You are too cute," he laughed. "Alright, come on _Ariel_, she's here."

I turned my attention to the wavy haired lady I had seen at my audition and did my best to hang onto every word she said.

"As you all know, I am Miss Lu, head of the drama department, and I do not like introductions so let's get started!" Elliot and I shot one another wide eyed looks. "We are going to take a modern twist on this play!" she exclaimed, gesticulating wildly, making it hard for me to keep my eyes settled on one part of her. "Ariel, played by Ally, is going to be blackmailed into staying silent by a gangly group of girls, who are all in love with Eric, otherwise known as Elliot."

I found myself smiling at everyone and giggled when I noticed Elliot was doing the same.

"Eric is the irresistible charming boy of the school, while Ariel is a shy bookworm who has loved him from afar. She saves him from getting hit by a car, but he unfortunately cannot recall the memory too correctly because he was drunk. Which reminds me," she said, peering at us through her purple lenses, "no one in here has taken a drink, right?"

Almost everyone in the room snorts and laughs but me. The closest alcohol has ever gotten to touching my lips has been cold medicine for when I get sick throughout the year.

"Let's get started! Ariel and Eric, center stage please!" she exclaimed and the two of us rushed over. "We are going to do a simple reading, scene three. Let's begin!"

"_Do I know you?_" Elliot read. I took a deep breath, my heart pounding, and opened my mouth to speak. But as I looked down at the script, I realized that Ariel only had to do actions since she was being blackmailed into staying silent. I looked up at Elliot and shook my head. He moved closer to me.

"_Maybe I would remember if you told me your name,_" he stated. I fiddled with my hands as it was written to do so. He took one of them in his own and I felt my stomach churn. That part wasn't in the script, was it?

"_I feel like we've met before,_" he murmured. I nodded eagerly. "_So we have?_"

I sighed, taking my hand out of his and walked away from him until he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back towards him. I think that part was in the script...

"_You can't leave yet. You have to help me remember,_" he said, tucking a hair behind my ear.

"Okay, stop!" Miss Lu called, and I immediately jumped away from Elliot. Not only was he the class president and captain of the football team... he was running for an Oscar, I was sure of it. My heart was pounding at the fact as to how realistically he seemed to act. I looked over at him and he sent me a smirk. I felt my gut boiling. "Let's take a break! That was excellent, Ally and Elliot!"

The group dispersed and I marched up to Elliot.

"If you think you can just send me a charming smile and be a wonderful actor, then you're wrong," I seethed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied unpretentiously. "You think I'm a wonderful actor?"

I glared at him. "That's beside the point!" I exclaimed, folding my arms. "Look, we are going to be working together, so I'd like to keep this professional. I don't have time for your shenanigans."

I turned to walk away but he lightly took hold of my arm and pulled me back. "You are..." he murmured, his eyebrows furrowing, almost as if he were frustrated and confused at the same time. "...different." I stared at him and gulped. He smiled. "I like that."

I scoffed at him and yanked my arm away, storming off the stage to head outside for a sip at the water fountain. Try and try he may, but my heart only had room for one person, even if that one person didn't have room for me.

* * *

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
3:30 pm  
You were right. Pick me up ASAP._

I sighed. This was wrong, every single inch and centimeter of it.

I liked Austin.

Austin liked Kira.

Kira...liked...Austin...maybe...?

Elliot apparently liked me.

How did this all happen? I groaned and threw my face into my hands, sitting down on a bench as I waited for Shelby to arrive and take me away from this mess.

"Having problems?" a voice asked. I turned around and glared.

"Not now, Elliot," I sighed, turning around to send another quick text to Austin.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
3:32 pm  
HURRY UP._

"Who are you texting, your boyfriend?" he asked, taking a seat next to me. I was careful to scoot about an inch away from him.

"No," I replied.

"I thought Austin was your boyfriend," he said. I frowned and turned to look at him.

"You did?" I asked, then shook my head. "Oh, never mind."

"Do you like him?" he asked.

"No!" I exclaimed. "No, I don't like Austin!"

"Good. Then you'll say yes if I ask you out on a date," he declared, grinning.

"No."

"No?" he said in confusion.

"No, Elliot. I told you, I don't have time," I said. My phone vibrated.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
3:38 pm  
I'm coming, don't move. _

I sighed in relief.

"Why don't you have time?" he asked.

"Because my schedule is full."

"Well, maybe you can make room. Dinner at Illusions Cafe, 8:30 this Friday. What do you say?" I stared at his face for a moment. He really was good looking.

"I'm sorry," I said, getting up at the sight of Austin's pick up truck. The tires screeched abruptly and Austin got out of the car, frowning.

"Is everything okay, Ally?" Austin asked, taking a step in front of me and staring at Elliot.

"Yeah... it's fine. Come on, Austin," I said, pulling his arm to drag him towards the truck, but he wasn't budging.

"You weren't bothering her, were you, Eli?" he snarled. I gulped.

"Austin..." I murmured, taking another tug at his arm but he still wouldn't move. Elliot smiled innocently, folding his arms.

"It's Elliot. And nope. I was just asking her out on a date, that's all," Elliot replied. I felt Austin's arm freeze under my hold.

"Maybe she isn't interested," he replied, his voice shaking quite a bit.

"Maybe you're right," Elliot sighed, but then sent me a wink. "But maybe I can get her to change her mind."

I felt my cheeks burn. Austin took a step forward but I finally managed to pull him back.

"Let's go, Austin," I said firmly, dragging the both of us back inside his pick up truck. I stared at Elliot through the window, shaking my head as we sped away. "What was that all about?"

"That was me saving you," Austin huffed. "You're welcome."

"Thanks," I muttered, not liking his tone. "But you didn't have to start a fight. Now you've only made things worse."

"Worse? Ally, that guy is a sleaze! I can't see why any girl would want to go on a date with him. You said no, right?"

"Of course I did!" I exclaimed. I watched the tendons bulge out of his hands as he gripped tightly on the steering wheel. "Relax, will you?" The tendons disappeared.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I just..." He turned to look at me once we hit a red light. "I don't like that guy, Ally. He's not right."

"You have nothing to worry about, Austin. I don't like him that way," I reassured him. "Oh, it's a green light!" He quickly turned his attention back to the road but not before taking my hand in his and squeezing it.

* * *

The next morning, I was having a hard time squeezing through the crowd that surrounded my locker.

"What is going on?" I gasped, standing on my tiptoes.

"I have no idea," Austin replied, trying to squeeze through a pack of students who were all whispering. When we both finally managed to squeeze through, my jaw dropped.

Someone had placed an array of pink Post-It notes into the shape of a heart on my locker door. In the middle, a bright orange Post-It read:

_I'm not giving up. -E_

"God, he was serious," I whispered, then quickly ripped the Post-Its off.

"Alright people, move, nothing to see here!" a familiar voice yelled, and I turned around.

"Trish, thank God," I sighed, wrapping her into a tight hug and shooting a quick smile at Dez.

"I knew he was into you," she squealed, then stopped when she noticed Austin glaring at her. "Sorry."

"That guy just can't take a hint, can he?" Austin asked in frustration.

"I guess not," I muttered.

"Hey Ally, can I keep those Post-It notes?" Dez asked, smiling eagerly. We all bluntly looked at him. "Or not..."

"This is ridiculous," I said, throwing the Post-It notes away in a nearby trashcan.

"I can make it even more ridiculous," a voice chuckled, and we all turned around to see Lover Boy himself. "Did you like it?"

"Not really," I replied, exasperated. "Elliot, I told you that I don't-"

"Have the time, I know," he said, cutting me off. "But..." He pulled a bouquet of roses from behind his back, handing them to me. I gasped.

"Aww!" Dez squealed, and Trish shoved his rib cage.

"Elliot..." I said.

"She doesn't want your stupid roses, Elliot," Austin said.

"You wouldn't know what Ally wanted if a bus hit you," Elliot retorted.

"What did you say?" Austin yelled, taking a large step towards Elliot.

"Guys..." I said uneasily. "Take it easy..."

"It's okay, Ally. I've heard that you don't like violence, so I won't take a swing at him," Elliot said, smirking. "Even though I know I could knock him out in three seconds."

That's when Austin took a swing.

* * *

_**OH SNAP, yeah, I did it. I left ya'll with a cliff hanger. Tee hee. I love you all, don't hate me, but I was feeling it. You guys are all amazing and your reviews are literally the sweetest! Some of them even make me tear up a bit because I've honestly always dreamt of becoming a writer, so to hear these words of encouragement from you guys feels amazing. **_

_**Guest people: Oh my goodness, PLEASE make an account because I want to reply back to you guys so, so bad! If you ever need someone to rant to or need advice from, I am here for you. And this goes for all of you, not just Guests! **_

_**Friendly reminder: You are all good, kind hearted, beautiful people, I'm just absolutely sure of it. You will all succeed at something in life. You will end up with your Prince Charmings at the end of the day, I promise. Don't ever let anyone tell you anything less because you all deserve the best. You all have big hearts, and that's all I can ever ask for from anyone. **_

_**Okay, I'm ending the cheesiness now. Don't forget to review so I know how I'm doing. THANK YOU, truly and honestly, thank you so much for reviewing, favoriting, or following. Or even if you're doing all of the above, even better! This isn't for me, I'm writing for you guys, so thank you so much and I will see you in the next chapter! MWAH.**_


	7. Chapter 7: Butterflies

_**You guys are CRAZY awesome! How can I only be on Chapter 6 and already have this many reviews?! It blows my mind. You guys are all wonderful, thank you for reviewing and favoriting and following! Your reviews are all so sweet and I love reading them and replying to them. **_

_**My heart goes out to all of you that have been telling me your own stories of falling for your best guy friends. It's definitely a very tricky situation, but I swear that life moves on. But if you have a happy ending with him, that's just as lovely! Alright, enough ranting, let's see how that fight went...**_

* * *

The scream that left my mouth was high and shrill as my hands flew to my face in shock.

"Austin, stop!" I shouted. A crowd began to form around us as they chanted the words _fight fight fight! _I grabbed Austin's shirt and attempted to pull him away from Elliot before any further damage was done. A sickening thud filled my ears as I gasped and took a look at Austin's face, a red mark already beginning to turn purple. "Elliot, stop this _now_!"

"What's going on?" a tense voice asked. I looked up and sighed in relief.

"Kira, thank God, help me out here!" I yelled. The crowd was still chanting and Dez was strangely cheering Austin on. Kira quickly rushed to my side and helped me pull Austin back. Trish scurried over to Elliot and grabbed his arms. But of course, as stubborn as I knew Austin was when he was pissed, his arm made a move to take another swing, and as I clutched onto it, we both fell backwards, my forehead crashing into the cement. Voices faded in and out, and I heard an adult's voice tell everyone to get back to class. My mind tried to focus on the situation at hand, on saving Austin before he got into trouble, on yelling at Elliot for creating this mess, but my brain wouldn't let me as it slowly grew dim, leaving me with no choice but to fade away.

* * *

_"Give me back my lunch, Jack Coleman!" I shouted, my tiny hands turning into frustrated fists. He tilted his head back and laughed in my face, causing my eyes to instantly blur with tears._

_"Cry baby, cry baby!" he chanted, laughing hysterically as I tried my best to wipe away the tears. My knees were shaking and I so badly wanted to crawl into a corner and cry, but a brave voice made the tears halt._

_"Give it back!" someone yelled. I looked up, eyes widening, and observed the little blonde boy wearing a red cape. I hiccuped. _

_"Oh yeah? Says who?" Jack asked, which honestly didn't make sense to me because clearly the blonde haired boy had just spoken and no one else. _

_"Says me!" the blonde boy declared. "Now give it back to her!" The hero launched himself towards Jack and quickly grabbed my lunch, but not before Jack swung his fist in a rage. I saw a small white item fly out of the boy's mouth and guessed it was his tooth. I gasped and quickly ran towards the boy, yelling my kindergarten teacher's name repeatedly. I carefully helped the boy stand up and accompanied him to the nurse's office. _

_"Oh my stars, what happened here?" the nurse asked, rushing over to us as she settled him onto the bed. _

_"Jack Coleman punched him," I stated, my face stiff from the tears that had been running down it not even ten minutes ago._

_"Kids these days," she said, shaking her head and gently placing an icepack over his mouth. He groaned. _

_"Is he dead?" I asked, my eyes welling up again. _

_"No, sweetie, he's not dead. He'll be fine. I need to call his parents so will you be a good girl and hold the ice pack against his face?"_

_I nodded and watched her jog to the telephone. I sighed, holding the ice pack gently to his face. "Thank you for saving me," I murmured. He weakly smiled at me. _

_"It's no problem," he replied. _

_"Why are you wearing a cape?" I asked. _

_He stared at it for a moment before looking up at me, his eyes gleaming. "I'm Superman!" _

_My mouth formed a small "o" and I gasped. "Really?" _

_He chuckled. "No, I'm Austin Moon."_

_I felt my shoulders slump but then grinned at him. "I'm Ally Dawson," I stated, giving him my hand to shake. He wrinkled his nose and frowned. _

_"Don't you have cooties?" he noted. _

_"Oh yeah..." _

_He blinked, then shook his head. "It's okay! I'm sure you don't have cooties! Only icky girls have cooties," he said, taking my hand in his and shaking it. We both giggled._

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of our echoing giggles and I looked down at my hands. They were big. I sighed and smiled at the sudden reminisce of the past.

"She's awake!" Trish exclaimed.

"Hi Ally! I'm Dez!" Dez yelled, waving enthusiastically.

Trish smacked his shoulder. "She hit her head, not lose her memory, you dumbie," she muttered, carefully placing an ice pack against my forehead. I winced and shrugged away from her, but she insisted.

"It has to heal," she reminded me, and I tried my best to ignore the sudden throbbing pain, focusing only on the coolness of the ice. Quick snippets of the fight earlier came back to me. Fists coming into contact and Austin's bruised face made me clench my fists.

"Where's Austin?" I whispered, my throat feeling hoarse and weary.

"He's over there," Trish replied, nodding her head towards the other side of the room. I looked over to see Austin lying down as well, and my throat closed when I saw Kira holding an ice pack to his head. That wasn't the only thing she was holding. Trish followed my eyes to the pair. "Don't mind them. He's stupid."

I nodded but felt the need to cry, just like I did when I was five. "Are they...?" I couldn't even finish the dreaded question.

Trish shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows. But Ally," she said, squeezing my hand, "I promise that we're going to find out. Okay?"

I smiled, wincing again at the throbbing. A figure knocked at the door and I glared.

"Can I talk to Ally?" Elliot asked, carefully walking towards the bed.

"I don't know, can you talk if I punch you?" Trish threatened.

"I don't think he can..." Dez pointed out. I took a deep breath.

"It's okay, Trish," I murmured. Trish shot me an _are-you-nuts _look, but I pursed my lips together. She sighed and dragged Dez out of the room. I smiled when Dez shot Elliot a glare before he left. Elliot walked cautiously towards me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, kneeling down to face me.

"Not so great," I deadpanned.

He chuckled. "You're feisty even when you're in pain." I opened my mouth to shoot back a witty retort, but he lifted the ice pack off the bed sheets and held it up. "Do you mind?"

I closed my mouth and thought about it before nodding. He lightly placed it against my forehead, staring down at the sheets as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Ally. I didn't mean to start anything." I shot him a look. "Okay, so maybe I did. But I meant what I said. I like you. I _really _like you. And I'm sorry."

I bit my lip, hesitant at his apology.

"And I understand if you never want to speak to me again," he continued. "I just wanted to let you know that-"

"I forgive you."

His head snapped up. "What?"

I sighed. "I said, I forgive you."

He grinned. "Really? Ally, that means so-"

"But," I interrupted, "that doesn't mean that I'm going on a date with you. And it doesn't mean I like you. And I want you to stop putting Post-Its on my locker or else you're going to get punched, and this time it's going to be by me."

He laughed. "Okay, got it."

I smirked at his purple eye. "So you got beat, huh?" I asked.

"I would actually say it was a fair fight. I mean, he punched me and I punched him. Equal punches."

I rolled my eyes. "Equal and punches should never be used in the same sentence."

"You really don't like violence, do you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "There's no point in hurting someone physically. It's not going to solve anything." The ice pack was beginning to sweat and trickle down my face. Elliot caught the drops with his fingertips, and I gulped. I sat up.

"Okay, well..." I said uneasily. "Thanks."

"For what?" he murmured, and I didn't like how he was staring at me so intensely.

"For helping me with my forehead."

He sighed. "This is going to be harder than I thought," he said as he got up from his knees and started walking towards the door.

"What is?"

"Trying to get the one girl who doesn't like me back," he replied, sending me a wink before he disappeared.

* * *

"He what?!" my mom screeched through the phone.

"Calm down, Mom," I giggled. My forehead was feeling much better now, and although my dad seemed mellow about the whole situation, I was pretty positive the only reason he kept stopping by my room every five minutes was to make sure I hadn't died or collapsed onto the floor.

"Oh, Ally. He is obviously jealous. The apes here in the wild throw punches all the time at other apes that try to steal their mates!" she exclaimed.

I shook my head, smiling. "Well, Austin's not an ape. And he's not jealous. He likes Kira, remember?"

"Whether he knows it or not, Alls, he's jealous," she stated.

I picked at a loose thread on my comforter, looking around at the twinkling lights that hung around my walls. I thought back to when Austin had hovered above me, almost as if he'd wanted to kiss me. "Do you really think so?" I asked.

"Honey, I am one hundred percent positive." A shrieking noise pierced the background and I held the phone away from my ear before putting it back. "Alls, I have to go. They're throwing punches again. I love you!"

"Love you, too," I murmured, sighing and falling back onto a pillow. A familiar head peeped through my doorway.

"Hey Alls, just making su-"

"I'm not dead and I haven't collapsed, Dad," I groaned, grabbing a pillow and throwing it onto my face.

I felt him walk over and sit down next to me. "Are you alright?" he gently asked.

"No. Life sucks," I declared, then laughed at how teenager-like that statement was.

"I'm sure it does," he agreed. "But you know what I think?"

I removed the pillow from my head and stared at him curiously. "What?"

"That everything will be okay," he said. I smiled and hugged him tightly, kissing him on the cheek.

"Thanks Dad," I whispered, so happy that at least someone in my life was there to remind me that the world wasn't falling to pieces. "Do you need help with dinner?"

"Not with your head banged up like that, I don't," he chuckled. "But there is someone here to see you."

"There is?" I asked, confused. He nodded and helped me walk down the stairs. I froze at the figure sitting on the couch.

"Kira," I said. She looked up and smiled.

"Hi Ally," she replied.

"I'll leave you two alone," my dad murmured, and he sent me an encouraging smile before he left for the kitchen. I limped over to her and took a seat on the couch, my leg sore from the fall.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

She fiddled with the edge of the couch. "I just wanted to see how you were doing," she said. "And..."

"And...?" I asked, a horrible feeling entering my stomach.

"I need to talk to you," she blurted out. My gut clenched. "Ally, I-"

"Wait," I said, holding up my hand and taking a deep breath. "Before you start, just... just tell me _why_."

She let out a shaky breath. "I don't know. It just... happened."

"So are you guys..." I gulped, "...together?" I felt my voice crack at the last word. Together seemed to hold only one meaning these days.

She shook her head. "Not officially," she said. "I know that you like him, Ally. Don't think this hasn't been eating me up inside, that I haven't stayed up late at night knowing how you feel. I do."

"Do you?" I asked, my eyes welling up for what seemed to be the thousandth time that day.

She broke her eye contact with me and focused on the ceiling. "No. No, I guess I don't," she admitted. "But I want to let you know that I'm not doing this because I'm out to get you."

My laugh was bitter. "I know that, Kira."

"He was going to tell you that day he helped you with the lights-"

I felt my breath hitch. "You knew that he was helping me with the lights?" I asked, my head spinning. What else had he told her? I felt sick at the fact that she had been peeking into my life this whole time, while I had been on the outside looking in.

"He makes me happy," she said. I stared furiously at her.

"Did you ever think that maybe he made me happy, too? That maybe I don't just like him, maybe I _love _him?" I asked, my heart bursting at the seams.

"Ally, I-"

"Kira, you know that... that I consider one of my closest friends and that I won't let this erase our friendship this easily, but... I'm going to have to ask you to leave," I whispered.

She nodded. "I understand," she replied quietly, getting up from the couch. "I'll let myself out." I stared at the floor, my eyes blurring as the tears slid, stinging on my cheeks.

I ignored my dad when he called that dinner was ready.

I ignored the door shutting when Kira left.

I ran up to my room and slammed the door so hard, a picture frame fell down.

I grabbed my phone and shakily punched in seven numbers.

"Hello?" the voice answered.

I furiously wiped away at the tears. "Trish, I think I'm ready to take up that offer on my hair."

* * *

Trish was right: it was only an enhancement. As I looked at my new reflection in the mirror the following morning, I couldn't help but smile. I wasn't going to waste any more time crying over Austin. This wasn't just a new hairstyle.

This was a new me.

"How about an ombre?" she had asked as I sat in a hair parlor the night before.

"I don't know what that is, but sure!" I exclaimed. She clapped a reassuring hand onto my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Ally. I'm gonna help you with this. We're going get through this together," she said. I weakly smiled at her.

"Do you guys think I would look good with a perm?" Dez had asked, and we'd shot him weird looks.

Staring at the new me, I tested out my new smile. Lips stretched, teeth showing, pink cheeks. This new Ally was happy. This new Ally did not cry over her best friend. This new Ally had soft waves that cascaded around her face and a soft hint of ombre. Maybe this new Ally could help me heal. A horn honked outside, and I quickly grabbed my bag and headed out the door.

"Bye Dad!" I called, running towards Shelby, shoving aside everything my heart had been telling me for the past six years. As I climbed into the passenger seat, Austin gaped at me.

"What is it?" I asked, buckling my seat belt.

"You dyed it," he said in surprise.

"Yup," I replied cheerfully. "Now come on, mister, we're going to be late for school!"

I stared out the window, yelling at the butterflies in my stomach to go away and never come back. It was better this way: just friends. It was better. Austin stared at me, and I prayed he wouldn't ask why, wouldn't ask if I was okay, wouldn't ask if I was feeling better.

Because my stomach was already twisting in ways I couldn't explain, my heart was already breaking in forms that I didn't even want to imagine, and my mouth was dying to open itself and confess to him.

"Okay," he said softly, pressing his foot against the pedal. The heaviness in the air was so sharp, a knife could cut through it. "Ally, I need to-"

"It's okay, Austin," I forced myself to say. "We don't need to talk. Kira told me."

He froze, and I noticed our speed limit was slowly accelerating. "She told you?"

I nodded. "Yeah. And I totally understand." Lie of the century. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked.

"I wanted to, but the timing never seemed to be right," he said.

"Slow down, will you?" I told him, and I watched the speed limit decrease a bit. "Well, she beat you to it."

"Oh." Silence. "So you're... you're okay with it, then?"

"Sure." More silence. "Do you know what happened when I knocked out, Austin?"

He winced, taking a peek at my forehead. "What?"

"I dreamt about the time we first met each other," I said, and I could feel the old Ally creeping its way back up. "You got my lunch back from Jack Coleman. Do you remember that?"

He smiled fondly at the memory. "Yeah, I do."

"Austin, I don't want you fighting Elliot anymore, okay?" I murmured, and my voice sounded almost child like.

"I promise," he said, holding out his pinky while keeping his eyes on the road. I grinned and linked my pinky with his, then frowned.

Darn these butterflies.

* * *

_**I greatly apologize at the fact that this chapter is so sad, and sorry if it was kinda ehh. But I had to make it a little melancholy for the sake of where I want this story to go and how I want it to flow (that rhymed). What do you think is going to happen next? I'd love to hear your theories! And don't forget to **__**review**__** so I know how I'm doing! You guys are all so amazing, each and every one of you, I really mean it. Your support means the world, and I appreciate the time you take out of your day to read my story. So THANK YOU. And I will see you in the next chapter! Sending all my love ~**_

_**P.S. Just a warning: Choir camp is coming up this week (yes, I am in Adv. Choir at my school) and as treasurer, I'm going to have to be there and participate, so I'm pretty excited! I will try to update whenever I find the time, I'm definitely not going to abandon this story or you guys. Just thought I should give you guys a heads up! :)**_


	8. Chapter 8: Mop the Mess

_**Hi guys! First off I want to explain that the lack of updates has been because of Choir Camp, which is throughout this week and so much fun, it's nice seeing my singing buddies again as well as welcoming the new faces! And oh my gosh, there is a new girl in my class called ALLY and an incoming freshman whose name is CALLIE, like from The Fosters on ABC Family. How funny is that?! Second: OH MY FRIKKEN GOSH. This story has over 100 reviews! You guys are crazy... crazy AWESOME! I cannot thank you enough for taking the time out of your day to actually read this fan fiction story and not only read it, but review it. Guest people: I SEE YOU, just thought I should let ya'll know. It literally means so much to me so THANK YOU. I couldn't have made it this far without your encouraging words and unlimited support. It took awhile for me to write this chapter because I wasn't sure exactly what to write next, but I think after looking at some Auslly pictures on Tumblr and watching spoilers (teehee), the inspiration came to me! Here we go, Chapter 8...**_

* * *

As much as it pains me, I have to say that the sudden attention because of my new hair style has brought on quite the stir. It seems shallow: when someone changes something about themselves, it instantly radiates a spotlight and makes people look at you differently.

But why?

I'm still me, I'm still smiling through the pain, I'm still Ally Dawson. Just enhanced.

"Hey Ally," a guy that I've never even talked to before in my life greeted as I walked towards my locker. I weakly smiled and gave a small wave in return. Did he even know my name before I'd changed my hair? It was just a little bit of blonde dye, almost like high lights. What was such the big deal?

"Look at little Miss Popular," a voice teased, and I turned around, rolling my eyes.

"It's honestly not that great, Trish," I sighed, reaching my locker and spinning the dial quickly. "It makes me think that people are really this shallow."

"They're not shallow, Ally," she said, leaning against the other lockers. "You changed your hair. It's bound to get attention."

I cocked an eyebrow at her before reaching inside to pull out a notebook. "These people never noticed me before. What difference does it make if I change my hair?" I asked, distraught.

"Hey there," a dark haired boy said as he passed by, sending me a devilish grin. I turned away in disgust.

"See?!" I screeched. "Boys only like girls for their looks. That's why..." I looked down at the ground, breathing in slowly. Trish gently put her hand on my shoulder.

"Ally, that's not true. And you _know _it," she replied softly. I looked up at her with fearful eyes.

"Do I?" I asked, sighing. We began walking to the cafeteria, passing by the occasional sweetheart couples. "I mean, look at Harper and Leo. She can barely hold up a proper conversation because all she likes to talk about are TV shows, but she's gorgeous."

Trish observed Harper's mane of flowing brown locks that hit just above her waist. Harper had that whole casual Cali look, complete with jeans and a simple T-shirt and sneakers, a classic beach babe. Somewhere inside her was the potential of a surfer.

"Maybe Leo likes TV shows," Trish reasoned, shrugging her shoulders.

"Maybe," I said. "Or maybe not. And how about Paige and Jake?"

Our heads both turned to look at the school's star quarterback and the track team's shining sprinter. With Jake being a red head and Paige having dark locks mixed with soft purple highlights, the two glowed as an athlete couple.

"She's like a daring Barbie doll, if there were ever such a thing," I stated. "Do you see where I'm heading here? Their girlfriends are all pretty."

"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," she scoffed as we stepped through the double doors and into the lunch line. "So pretty is being thin, having great hair and awesome style? Count me out."

I stared at her quizzically, a small smile growing on my face. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean," she said as the line moved forward, giving us two steps ahead, "that if all boys want for a girlfriend is a Barbie doll, then I don't want to be anyone's girlfriend at this school."

"Really?" I replied, then smirked as I nodded my head towards a familiar red head waving frantically at the both of us from a table in the corner. "Not even Dez?"

Her cheeks flushed bright pink. "We're just friends," she quickly said, moving up the line about ten steps. I rushed over to keep up with her.

"Look who's starting to sound like me," I taunted. She frowned. "You like him, don't you?"

She bit her lip. "Who, _Dez_? Are you nuts? He's annoying and stupid and drives a weird blue mini convertible. Why would I ever like him?" she pointed out, grabbing a turkey sandwich while I went for a burger.

"Because he's annoying and stupid and drives a weird blue mini convertible," I replied, laughing. She sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"He doesn't even look at me that way. Besides, he seems too silly to even want a girlfriend," she explained. "I've thought about telling him, trust me. But something keeps holding me back."

"That's the problem. You need to figure out what that something is before you go for it. That way when you _are _ready to tell him, you'll know exactly what to say," I suggested. "Plus we're talking about Dez here. Him being goofy is just part of the package. That doesn't mean he's not keeping an eye out for one special girl."

As we walked over to the table where Dez sat at, I couldn't help but find my eyes lingering on a brand new couple that sat at another table nearby. They seemed happy, smiling and laughing and occasionally touching hands. I made a bad attempt at brushing away the pang I suddenly felt in my chest.

The boyfriend looked up and his chocolate brown eyes softened as they came into contact with mine. He smiled, waving at me. The girlfriend turned to look at me as well, and the pang in my chest moved to my stomach, almost as if someone had punched me. I quickly looked away, and I could see the boyfriend's confused expression as his hand slowly came back down to his lap.

"Don't even look at them," Trish whispered in my ear. "It only makes it worse." She sat me down at the table, where Dez was already pining away at the side of tater tots on my tray. "At least you have better hair than her," she added with a comforting smile.

I laughed, but the smile didn't stretch up to the crinkles of my eyes like they usually did. "Maybe. But this is going to take a lot more than just hair dye," I sighed, my appetite quickly fading away as I handed Dez my burger as well.

* * *

A loud whistle pierced my ears and I was just about ready to blow. The sudden attention was really getting on my nerves, and I slammed my locker door shut, turning around as my mouth opened to let the flood of rage erupt.

"_Look, _I don't appreciate being whistled at because it makes me feel like a dog, and I am certainly no one's dog! And hasn't your mother ever taught you to have manners, I mean it's only common to know that-" I stopped my spiel when I realized who I was talking to, my mouth quickly closing. "Elliot."

His face was filled with surprise as his jaw hung open. Before I could apologize he burst out laughing, hunching over as his face turned a bright red. I was glued to the spot, stunned by his reaction, and the only thing I could do was wait for him to recover from this hyena moment. When he finally did stop, he looked up at me, a grin still plastered on his face as he wiped away the tears from cackling.

"That was hilarious," he said, still gasping for air. I folded my arms and scowled.

"It hasn't been a good day, so please don't become another problem on my list," I replied, marching away before he gently cupped my waist with his hand and pulled me back. I felt the tips of my ears heat up.

"I'm sorry," he murmured softly. I gulped.

"It's okay," I replied, turning my head to face him but instantly regretting it. I hadn't realized how close his face was to mine, and the flecks of gold in his hazel eyes were throwing me off balance, making my heart beat faster than usual.

"Hey," a voice barked, and I shot away from his grip. "You're not bothering her again, are you? Not after I took that swing at your face."

"Austin..." I said, my tone edgy as I shot him a look that would hopefully remind him of his pinky promise to not fight with Elliot anymore. I noticed a hand intertwined with his and came face to face with Kira, who seemed to be busy fidgeting with the ends of her hair. I focused on the leaves, still green with sharp edges.

"Not bothering her. Just reminding her that we should probably practice our lines for the play. You know, since our characters are in love," Elliot replied, a smirk on his face. I kicked him.

"Romantically involved," I corrected, watching Austin grip harder onto Kira's hand as if he needed support. Kira promptly averted her attention to the situation.

"Ally!" she exclaimed, as if she hadn't already seen me. I fought an urge to roll my eyes; that would be rude. Silence filled in the cracks before she spoke. "I like your hair."

My stomach stung fiercely. "Thanks," I muttered. Austin looked at Kira, then me, clearly conflicted as to why there was so much awkwardness in the air. If only he knew. I could feel him sending me _did-I-miss-something _looks, but I could never tell him. He'd never believe me. He probably wouldn't even care.

Too busy with his new girlfriend.

"Elliot, we should go. We have a lot to rehearse," I blurted out. I couldn't handle standing here any much longer, watching my best friend that I was _in love with _hold hands with this girl who was supposed to be my best friend, who was supposed to understand how wrong this was, who was supposed to follow through on promises.

"We should?" he asked, then took one look on my face before catching on. "Oh, we should! See you guys later!"

"Ally, wait!" Austin exclaimed, and I shut my eyes in pain before I turned back around to face him.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Do you need a ride home?" he asked. Kira shifted uncomfortably.

"It's okay. I don't think there's enough space for me in Shelby anyway," I said, and Kira bit her lip, taking this moment to stare at the ground. There was no room for me anywhere. Now that there were three in the picture, the Austin and Ally show seemed to be on the verge of cancellation.

And I wasn't about to stick around to hear the confirmation.

* * *

"_Talk to me, Ariel. Why can't you talk to me?_" Elliot read from the script, but my mind was somewhere else.

I couldn't help but repeat the look on Austin's face. He had no idea, no clue, not even a suspicion as to what was going on between Kira and I. Of course, I couldn't blame him. I had told him I was perfectly fine with him dating her. I had put on a mask. I had smiled and laughed and acted normal. It was only at home, before I went to bed or even in the shower where the mask melted off and I let the tears run down my face as I shook my head, wondering why I was letting this happen to me.

Why wasn't I speaking up? Why wasn't I confessing? Why was I letting myself get in the way of what I wanted?

"Ally?" Elliot asked, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts. My face turned scarlet.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Are you okay?" he asked, placing the script down onto the counter. We were sitting at Mini's, a local hang out that all the kids usually went to right after school, where they sold miniature sized food items.

"Yeah, why?" I replied.

"Because you haven't touched your pizza, and it's only ten centimeters long," he said with a twinkle in his eye as he grabbed it, quickly popping it into his mouth before I could protest. I laughed, a genuine one for the first time in awhile.

"Hey, that wasn't nice," I scolded.

"You know what else isn't nice?" he asked, leaning into me. I carefully leaned away with caution, making sure not to tip backward off my stool. "Not rehearsing with your leading man."

I rolled my eyes. "_Leading man_? Seriously Elliot, we're not on a TV show. It's just a school play."

His brows scrunched together and I bit my lip to keep from smiling at how adorable he actually kinda looked when he wasn't being such a jerk. "This is my first time getting a lead role in a play," he sighed. "I just want to get it right. And I can't practice when there's something wrong with my leading lady." I shot him a look. "So what's the problem?"

I sighed, running my fingers carelessly through my scalp, my locks tousling. "It's nothing you can fix."

"Maybe if you let me try..."

I cocked my head to one side and let an amused smile play onto my lips. "Elliot Johnson actually wants to _help _me?"

He snorted. "Don't get such a big head, just because you look gorgeous-"

"You think I look gorgeous?" I asked quietly, playing with the hem of my floral skirt.

He stared at me for a moment before answering. "God, Ally, of course you are. Have you ever looked in the mirror?"

I blinked. "Sure, but-"

"That's the best part about it: you don't even know. You don't even realize how talented and pretty you are. That's why so many guys are into you."

This was honestly all news to me. "They are?"

"Yes!" he practically shouted, causing the people around us to take a look. "And maybe if you weren't so hung up on that best friend of yours, you would realize that."

I felt my heart stop as my eyes began to sting once again. A tear slid down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away, hoping he hadn't seen it.

"Ally..." he sighed. I stared down at my empty plate, anything but his sympathetic eyes. I wasn't prepared for what happened next as he leaned over and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes flew open in shock and I shoved him away.

"What the hell, Elliot!" I shouted.

"I-I'm sorry, it was an accident!" he stammered as I got up from my seat, scrambling to get my sweater and bag.

"That was my first kiss, and you just stole it!" I replied, tears running down my face now as I ran away from him, from my empty plate, from everything. Footsteps followed after me, pounding against the concrete. I tried to speed up my pace but my arm was pulled back as he enveloped me in a hug from behind. A sob escaped my mouth.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"That was my first kiss," I repeated.

"I'm sorry."

"I was reserving that for someone special."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop saying that!" I screamed, pushing him away from me. "I'm tired of sorries! I'm tired of hearing them, I'm tired of saying them, I'm tired of being sorry for things I didn't do and for things I have done. And I'm sorry, but I am _done _being sorry!" I slid to the cement, not caring that this was the middle of a sidewalk and that there were people passing by staring at me with wide worried eyes. I was tired. I was exhausted.

I was hurting.

Strong arms lifted me off the ground and swung my body onto their back. "Then let me help you," Elliot murmured.

"I can't," I whispered.

His head hung in disappointment. "Then... then at least let me be your friend," he offered.

_Friend. _The word seemed so foreign now, sounding strange to me, leaving a funny taste in my mouth, both bitter and sweet. What did it even mean anymore?

Austin was my friend.

Trish was my friend.

Kira was my friend.

I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck. "Take me home," I said, choking on every word.

* * *

"Long day?" my dad asked me as I entered through the door. My entire body felt numb. My heart, on the other hand, was doing all sorts of crazy things.

"Is it obvious?" I replied. He nodded, chuckling.

"Go on up to your room. I'll make you some soup," he said, sending me a reassuring smile. I nodded, trudging up the stairs with every last ounce of strength that I had. I needed to think. I needed to take the mask off.

I stepped into the bathroom, stripping off my clothing and staring at myself in the mirror.

_"Have you ever looked in the mirror?" _

Sunken eyes. Pale skin. Faded smile. Broken heart. _No wonder they're crazy about me, _I sarcastically thought to myself, filling the bathtub until it reached the top. I added bubbles and climbed inside, soaking myself in the hot water until all that was visible was my head. I closed my eyes and dunked myself in.

_"Look at these fireflies!" Austin yelled, smiling as his head whirled around to look up at the softly glowing insects. I giggled. _

_"Can we catch some?" I asked, turning to my dad. He nodded. I squealed, grabbing Austin's hand as we both jumped up at the same time, our hands reaching for something that could never be caught. We were too young to understand that gravity's toll on the earth. Some things were just too out of reach. _

_I looked towards the forest; the trees suddenly seemed menacing and the crescent of the moon didn't seem bright enough. I squeezed Austin's hand tighter, scooting closer to him. _

_"Austin, I'm scared," I said, my other hand gripping onto his cape. _

_He squeezed back. "Have no fear, I am Superman!" he announced, and I threw my head back, letting out the loudest laugh that not even hyenas could topple. _

I emerged from the water, not gasping for air at all. The flashback made my heart ache and yearn at the same time, two different emotions that should never be mixed together. Austin and I have been friends for such a long time, since childhood. And somewhere in the middle of all our memories together, my heart got caught. These were the facts.

This was the truth.

I rose out of the bathtub, wrapping the towel tightly around my frail body as I turned to look at the mirror once more.

Hopeful eyes. Translucent skin. Healing smile. Mending heart.

* * *

"Dad, you don't have to feed me," I chuckled as he brought the spoon towards my mouth. He pulled it away, placing it back into the bowl of chicken noodle galore.

"I used to do it all the time when you were a baby," he reasoned, but I simply rolled my eyes, shaking my head. He kissed the top of my forehead and I closed my eyes, smiling as I snuggled deeper into my comforter and blanket, my head resting comfortably against a pillow.

"Thanks for the soup," I croaked before he exited my bedroom. I sighed, taking the spoon in one hand, bringing it carefully to my mouth.

_Slurp._

I laughed to myself. What an un-Ally thing to do, play with my food. But the soup tasted amazing, just what I needed on a rough day like this. My fingers unknowingly touched my lips.

The kiss.

I hadn't kissed him long enough to get a feel of his lips or to get a feel of _anything _in general. As much as my mind was suggesting things, my heart didn't like Elliot. It was still stuck on repeat for Austin. My phone buzzed, and I reached over to grab it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Ally!" a familiar voice exclaimed in relief. "I've been texting you for hours! Are you okay?"

"You have?" I asked, pulling the phone away from my ear to quickly scroll through my texts.

_To: AllyFrom: Austin  
2:30 pm  
Text or call me if that jerk hurts you again._

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
3:00 pm  
He hasn't done anything, has he? Text me back._

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
3:20 pm  
He did something, didn't he?_

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
4:05 pm  
Ally, you're scaring me. Please text or call me back. _

"Oh..." I said, putting the phone back to my ear. "Sorry about that."

"So you're fine then?" he asked.

"Why do you care so much?" I snapped.

Inarticulateness hung in the air for quite some time before he spoke. "Because I care about you." I gulped. "You're my best friend."

_There_. Those were the two words I was waiting for. That was my status, my title: best friend. "I was just rehearsing with Elliot."

"I don't like that guy," he stated.

"He's nicer than you think," I said, thinking back to his offer for friendship if I could take nothing more.

Austin snorted. "I doubt that. Have you seen the way he looks at you? It's like he wants to kiss you or something."

My face instantly heated up.

"Ally? You still there?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm still here." Should I tell him? Or should I lie?

"Just try not to trust him too much. He's such an airhead," he reminded me.

"Whatever," I muttered.

More dead air.

"So are we still on for PC on Friday?" he asked.

My mood brightened, but I bit my lip in hesitation.

_Don't you want to get over him? _a voice in the back of my mind whispered.

_But don't you miss him? _a new voice asked.

_Where did you come from? _I thought.

"I think Trish and I have to work on our AP Psychology project that day. We have to do a ton of research," I lied, picking at a loose thread on my bed and tugging at it so hard that it popped and broke loose.

"Oh," he said.

"Next time," I replied, automatically feeling guilty.

"It's okay. Kira wanted to see a movie that day anyway."

Ouch. I clenched my fists, not caring if my fingernails were making painful imprints on my palms. It hurt that I could easily be replaced, just like that. Kira this. Kira that. She was my understudy.

Or better yet, I was becoming hers.

"What movie?" I asked.

"The new Zaliens sequel," he responded. I laughed.

"She would want to watch that," I said. "You guys have a lot in common."

"I guess so," he replied. "It's just, our anniversary's coming up."

"Anniversary? Already?"

"It's a week-aversary," he explained. "I don't know what to get her."

"Try a necklace, something pretty," I suggested, taking another sip of my soup.

"What would you want?"

I spit my soup out, wiping my mouth. My heart was doing that racing thing again.

"Um...well, you know... it doesn't have to be anything expensive or fancy. Just something important, something that matters to me."

"Tell Elliot that," he teased, and I felt my shoulders droop. "A necklace, okay, got it. Thanks Ally, you're the best."

"No problem," I sighed, hanging up.

I am the mop that cleans up the mess.

She is the mess that never leaves.

* * *

_**WOAH. I legitly don't know what happened in this year, my hands took over the keyboard and it's like my brain disconnected itself and I didn't even have to think. My fingers typed with a mind of its own. When I typed Elliot kissing Ally, I immediately deleted and was like: Ew, what, no! But then... I brought it back and thought: You know what, why not? So yep, there you have it folks. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to **__**review**__** so I know how I'm doing! Before I exit, here's a Laura joke because I love you guys: Why was the broom late? ...It over swept! HA. HA. HA. Love youuuuu. **_


	9. Chapter 9: Scoreboard

_**YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING, AWESOME, WONDERFUL, BRILLIANT AND KIND. This story has so many reviews, it is CRAZY ridiculous to me! I really couldn't have done it without all of you guys so thank you, thank you, thank you. Instead of this being a 10-15 chapter story, I might actually have to extend it to 20-25, if that's alright with you guys. I just have so many ideas buzzing in my head that I still want to write for this story that I haven't done yet. Choir Camp is over and it was so much fun! I had a great time getting to know the new faces and catching up with the old ones. Plus, football practice was around the time Choir Camp was... wink wink. Unfortunately my school barely has any cute football players... sigh. Oh well. Anywho! You guys have been waiting for this update super patiently so here it is! P.S. Quick Laura joke: What did the water say to the boat? ...Nothing, it just waved! heehawheehawheehaw okay, I'm done.**_

* * *

_I've always known something was wrong_  
_It sounded different, a change in song  
I'm not sure how but we're already gone  
And I'm not about to be some pitiful cause_

I tapped my pen against the smooth page of my songbook, rummaging through my brain for more lyrics. One of the pluses of working at a music store? All the instruments. My lunch break was mostly spent up in the practice room on the second floor, plunging away at the piano and tinkering around with different keys, trying out new melodies.

Sonic Boom had been opened by my dad at the mall a couple of years ago, maybe a handful of about five. And although he'd been the one to open it, it had actually been my mom's idea to start a music business. He wasn't too fond for music, while she was crazy about it. Maybe that's why they fell in love, because opposites attract.

But maybe it's also why they split up, because sometimes too many differences can cause people to grow apart, can cause hearts to change.

I got a fair salary. After all, I _was _the daughter of the Sonic Boom manager. It was only factual that I get a decent amount of money from my hours working behind the counter helping customers with their brand new instruments. My phone buzzed, disrupting my brainstorming.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:54 pm  
Wanna hang?_

I groaned, slamming my hands against the keys. He'd been texting me relentlessly, constantly asking if I wanted to go to PC, if I wanted to have a jam session, if I wanted to catch a movie. It's hard enough trying to get over a boy that I've been in love with for the past six years. My heart raced as my thumbs hung above the keyboard, tempted to type a response.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
12:56 pm  
Can't, working today._

I shook my head, hitting the delete button.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
12:57 pm  
Sorry, with Elliot today._

I smirked but then instantly felt guilty. That one was a little too low.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
12:58 pm  
I'm too busy trying to get over you. _

I chewed on my lip. That was the entire truth. If I sent it, everything would change. My finger hovered above the send button.

"Ally! Can you take over the counter, honey?" my dad's voice floated from downstairs as he practically hollered. I checked my watch. Two minutes left of my break. I shrugged my shoulders and hit send, running downstairs to deal with an old man wanting to buy an electric guitar and a daily customer, Nelson, wondering whether he should purchase a tuba or not. I observed his height and led him towards the triangle.

* * *

My eyes widened as I was dusting the drums. Had I...?

* * *

Oh my god.

* * *

OH MY GOD.

* * *

My heart was racing as I tried to remember whether or not I had sent that message. _I'm too busy trying to get over you. _Had I sent it? I felt my phone burning a hole in my back pocket as I shakily pulled it out. A green light was blinking, signaling a new alert. I dropped my phone to the floor, surprised that the screen didn't crack.

I had sent the text.

I HAD SENT HIM THE TEXT.

And now the reply was waiting to be read, in that little small device on the floor, the reply that may or may not ruin everything that I've ever shared with my best friend. My brain began to race with the worst possible responses.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
1:00 pm  
I knew it. Sorry but I could never feel that way about you._

_To: Ally  
From: Austin1:00 pm  
Kira's my girlfriend, are you nuts?_

_To: Ally  
From: Austin1:00 pm  
HA HA HA HA are you serious?_

My fingers trembled as I unlocked my phone and clicked on the conversation.

_message failed to send, no network connection._

I nearly collapsed to the floor as I laughed in relief. I'd never been so happy to see seven words in my entire life. The message had failed to send. There had been no network connection in the practice room. I was laughing really hard now, tears streaming out of my eyes. The world was playing games with me, and I sure as hell wasn't finding any of it funny.

* * *

"Maybe the Greek gods that I've been learning about in Mythology are trying to tell you something," Trish suggested as we took our usual seats in AP Psychology after I explained the near texting disaster. "And are you getting sleep? You look like a zombie."

I glared at her. "Gee. Thanks," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. I hadn't had time to put on any makeup because I'd woken up late. For the first time in awhile, I wore my soft peach hoodie and shorts, an outfit that I usually wore to the beach. "No, not really. I've been thinking too much."

"Look Ally, maybe it's time to take that next step."

I looked at her, confused. "What's the next step?" I asked cautiously.

Her eyes sparkled. "Going on a date."

"What?!" I shrieked. The entire class grew silent as I blushed, clearing my throat and bringing my tone about seventy notches down. "Trish, no way."

"Why not?" she whispered, opening our composition notebook. "I found these articles online that I pasted onto the pages. I was thinking that we could use them for reference on platonic friendships and how they can affect the other person if they actually end up falling for their friend. But now, we can use them to help you get over Austin, too. Read it."

I rolled my eyes. "Trish, come on, I don't think-"

"_Read it,_" she deadpanned. I gulped and scanned the article.

_34 Ways to Get Over Someone  
by Chelsea Fagan  
1. Stop allowing your thoughts of them to be nostalgic, pleasant ones- find how much you dislike remembering the negatives when you force yourself to do so._

"I guess that one makes sense," I admitted. She nodded, smiling in encouragement to read on. My eyes skimmed over the other ways.

_5. Listen to a lot of good, sad, happy, wonderful music and don't spend the entire song looking for an obscure connection with what you had together. Sometimes a song is just a song.  
6. Embrace the fact that you will think of them from time to time, and that you don't have to run from those thoughts, but you also don't have to feed them like an ugly little pet.  
7. Focus, more than anything else, on being a good person- and understand that such a person exists outside of a couple. _

"So Austin is an ugly little pet?" I giggled.

Trish laughed. "That's right, so don't feed him. That's what Kira is for."

I scrunched my nose before continuing to read, my eyes going all the way down to the last item on the list.

_34. Realize that it's not going to happen overnight, and you can't force it, but (as with everything else), it will improve- and hating yourself in the meantime isn't going to help anything. _

"How is your research going, ladies?" Mrs. Jefferson asked as she stopped by our table, peering at our notebook.

"Oh, it's going great!" Trish exclaimed. "We're really getting into this project. We're even applying it to real life."

I kicked Trish's foot underneath the table, resulting in her sending me a glare.

"That's wonderful to hear!" Mrs. Jefferson replied, clapping her hands in pride. "Keep up the good work!"

As she walked away I sighed in relief. "Trish, no one can know that our project is on platonic friendships, okay?"

She pouted. "But I already told Dez..." she said.

I waved my hand in dismissal. "Dez is fine. Just don't tell anyone else, especially not Austin."

She snorted. "Don't worry, I'm not stupid."

I took one last look at the list before shutting our composition notebook. "We've got a lot of work to do," I sighed. She patted my hand comfortingly.

"At least you've already learned one thing out of this situation," she declared.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Boys are stupid," she stated, and we both burst into laughter.

* * *

He really was beginning to sound like a broke record.

"Ally, I'm sorry," Elliot apologized for what seemed to be the millionth time. I sighed in frustration.

"If I accept your apology, will you shut up?" I asked, throwing my hands in the air. We sat on the edge of the stage, waiting for rehearsals to start.

"Yes," he answered.

"Well I can't do that," I replied. "That was my first kiss, Elliot."

"I know, and I'm sorry," he said, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. I glared at him and he quickly pulled away. "It's just... I can't help myself around you."

I twiddled my thumbs together. "You don't know what you're saying," I said quietly.

"Yes, I do," he said, his tone fervent. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

"Elliot, I've heard about your reputation, okay? So you can cut this whole soul mate crap," I snapped, flipping through the pages of the script as I reviewed my lines. He took both of my hands in his.

"I like you. And I'm going to make you believe that I'm way better than Austin," he said. I cleared my throat, scooting away from him. The way he looked at me... the way he held my hands... it made my heart race at a very uncomfortable rate. I observed his facial features as he stared at me.

Brown eyes that weren't Austin's.

Dark hair, not blonde.

Pleading eyes that were asking for my heart.

Things that Austin might never be able to give to me. Here was the answer, right before my eyes, yet I felt the hesitance cutting into my skin. Elliot wasn't Austin. And as much as I was trying to get over Austin, the climb that I had to endure seemed difficult already. But maybe the first step was Elliot. Maybe my heart could adjust if I let it.

"Give me some time," I murmured. "Then maybe."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up as if he'd just won the lottery.

"I said _maybe,_" I reminded him. He shook his head, still grinning a Cheshire cat smile.

"Maybe is better than nothing, Ally Dawson," he sighed, leaning in. I shoved him away.

"Just because I said maybe doesn't mean you get to kiss me!" I shouted. He scratched the back of his head.

"Right. Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm still getting used to this whole thing."

"What whole thing?" I asked.

"That a girl doesn't like me back. Usually they always do. All I have to do is send them one of these," he said, flashing me a charming smile, "and I'm in. But you..."

"Stop doing that," I retorted.

"Stop what?" he asked, blinking in alarm.

"Staring at me like that. You always give me that... that _look_," I explained, squirming.

He smirked. "What, this one?" he said, staring at me intensely with soft eyes.

"Yes, that one," I muttered.

He let out a loud laugh, startling me. "Alright, alright," he said, holding up his hands. "I'll stop." His head nodded towards the scripts that both sat in our laps. "We should probably practice before rehearsals start."

I gave him a small smile. "Okay."

_"Ariel, are you okay? Are you hurt?" _he read.

More than you'll ever know, I wanted to say. But I opened my mouth and let out a shaky breath.

_"I've been better."_

* * *

I stared at my planner, the calendar teeming with a row of events. If only I'd known senior year would be this busy, I would have mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared myself for the hurricane that was about to hit. I let out a big sigh, opening my locker. Passing period was becoming my only safe haven. Between rehearsals, the project, and mending my broken heart, I barely had time to just not think about anything. A head lightly placed itself onto my shoulder and arms wrapped themselves around my waist. My face heated up as soon as I turned around to see who the culprit was.

"Austin," I mumbled, a spark of electricity shooting through me as he looked up, his brown eyes hitting me with a wave of overwhelming emotion that I'd been trying so hard to avoid.

"How come you haven't been replying to my texts?" he asked, frowning.

"I'm sorry, my schedule has been really packed lately," I explained, lightly patting his head.

"I've missed you," he said, burying his head more into my shoulder. My cheeks felt warm as I ran my fingers carelessly through his hair.

"I've missed you, too," I whispered. I missed these quiet, simple moments.

"Let's do something," he said. My eyes widened.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Something, anything," he sighed, letting go of me and leaning against the lockers. I'd missed his face, his arms, his eyes, his presence.

"When and where?" I said, smiling and easily giving in.

"There's a fair this Friday," he said, walking me to my next class as I held my books tightly to my chest in excitement. "There'll be rides and games and-"

"Even a ferris wheel?" I squealed, my smile growing brighter by the second. A ride on the ferris wheel with Austin and pigging out on cotton candy sounded perfect.

_You're supposed to be getting over him, _the feisty familiar voice in the back of my mind reminded me.

_But he's still your best friend. Go, have fun! _the friendly new voice insisted.

This was the little boy who had rescued my lunch, the little boy I'd caught fireflies with. And he _was_ still my best friend. I couldn't erase that, no matter how hard I tried to.

"Even a ferris wheel," he chuckled.

"This is awesome!" I exclaimed, clasping my hands together. "An Austin and Ally day is just the break I need from my hectic schedule."

"Well..." he said, his pitch going a few octaves higher. I shot him a look.

"There's a catch, isn't there?" I groaned.

"It's not going to be just us," he explained.

"Oh, then who's-" My brain pinged. "Kira? Really, Austin?"

"She's my girlfriend, Ally!" he explained. I folded my arms.

"I understand that, but we haven't hung out in weeks!" I felt a knot forming in my throat and swallowed it away. "Of course, I have no right to be mad because I'm just the best friend, right?" I turned to walk away but his hand pulled me back.

"Ally," he sighed, tilting my chin upwards to face him. "You know that's not true. You mean the world to me."

I gulped. How could he say that and not expect me to fall for him even more? It made me want to slap him in the face and punch his stomach, yet kiss him all at the same time. I sighed in defeat, but an idea sparked in my brain as the wheels quickly began to turn. I slowly smiled. "Fine. But I get to invite someone, too," I stated.

He narrowed his eyes. "As long as it's not..." his sentence trailed off and his eyes widened. "You're not serious, are you?"

I smirked. "Elliot is a really nice guy," I replied. "I'm dead serious. You won't have a problem with that, right? If he comes with us?"

For a moment, we stared each other down, his eyes glaring with intensity while mine shimmered mischievously. He blinked and groaned as I giggled.

"Fine," he said through gritted teeth.

"Great!" I replied cheerfully, feeling lighter as I walked away, finally earning a point on the Austin and Ally scoreboard.

* * *

"How do I ask him?" I whispered to Trish as we walked towards Elliot and his quite large group of friends, many of which included girls who seemed to be drooling and hanging onto every word he said.

"Just be straight forward. The guy already likes you," she said. "You've got easy access."

"I still don't believe he actually likes me," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I'd been stalling all day, but Trish finally dragged me to the cafeteria during lunch to ask him to the fair. She'd called me "devious" because this was a jealousy tactic. I couldn't argue with her since that's exactly what it was, or at least I hoped it would be.

"He decorated your locker and punched Austin. He likes you," she stated. As we got closer and closer to him, my stomach began to twist and tie itself into indescribable knots.

"What if he says no? What if he laughs? What if his friends mock me? What if-" Before I could ask another question, she shoved me forward, causing me to stumble into a couple of the drooling Elliot fan girls. I gulped at their harsh glares for the sudden interruption and interference. Elliot immediately stopped talking and sent me a wide smile.

"Ally! Hey!" he exclaimed, making his way through the group of girls who were sending me daggers with their eyes. "What's up?"

"Um... well..." I turned around and looked at Trish with wide eyes, and she sent me a thumbs up. I nodded, turning back around to face Elliot. "I was actually wondering if you wanted to go to a fair this Friday with me. Austin and Kira are going, too."

At first he simply stared at me, and I wanted to crawl into a trashcan and die right then and there of embarrassment. Here I was, the first time I'd actually gathered the guts to ask a guy out myself, a guy who _wasn't_ Austin, and I'd failed miserably and terribly. But then he grinned and wrapped me up in a huge hug.

"Elliot...can't...breathe," I gasped as he practically crushed me with his muscular arms.

"I knew you'd give in sooner or later," he murmured in my ear, pulling away and leaning into me. I pushed his chest away from me.

"Would you stop trying to kiss me?" I hissed, and I heard Trish faintly giggling from behind me. "And we're not going to be the only ones there, you know."

He shrugged his shoulder, shooting me a devilish smile. "So it's a double date then?" he asked, winking at me. I took a peek at the girls behind him, who seemed to be fuming and foaming at the mouth.

"It's not a date," I growled. Trish was now hysterically laughing at my failing efforts, and I made a mental note to kill her later.

"Whatever you say. I'll pick you up at eight," he said, turning to walk away. "Oh, and Ally?"

"What?" I sighed. Before I could move, he quickly pecked me on the cheek, causing the Elliot fan girls to gasp and disperse faster than a herd of cows. My mouth hung wide open as his guy friends chuckled, giving him high fives. I shot him a glare and he shrugged his shoulders, mouthing the words _not-a-real-kiss_. Seething, I stormed off towards Trish, who was laughing so hard, she had doubled over in the process. I smacked her arm and she instantly stopped.

"Sorry," she breathed, still smiling. "He is _so _into you."

I snorted. "Well I'm not into him."

My eyes scanned the cafeteria before they landed on a very furious looking blonde who had apparently witnessed the whole scene. Ally: 2. Austin: 0. Trish followed where my eyes were pointed to, and she sighed, shaking her head.

"This is going to unfold interestingly," she said as she dragged me towards the lunch line. I watched as Austin's anger dissolved when Kira came up from behind him, covering his eyes with her hands before he pulled them away and turned around to meet her face, smiling. I frowned as new lyrics finally popped into my head.

_Infinitely impossible to even express just how much it hurts when I see you with her_

* * *

**_Did you guys enjoy the chapter? I know I say this a lot sometimes, but I apologize if at certain points it was a little ehh. I really wanted to fun it up because I know the last chapter was pretty melancholy. Plus I was listening to "Chloe (You're the One I Want)" by Emblem3, great song! The wheels in my brain were rapidly turning, trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to happen next in the story. For some reason, a carnival/fair idea immediately came to mind, and then a bunch of ideas started forming, so stay tuned because there is definitely going to be a ton of drama that is about to unfold! Also, the articles that I use in this story are actually real ones that I've searched up, so I fully give them credit! Don't forget to _****_review_****_ so I know how I'm doing! And thank you guys so much for taking the time to read my story, it really is greatly appreciated. I love each and every one of you! SENDING A THOUSAND VIRTUAL HUGS. _**


	10. Chapter 10: Ferriswheel

_**We're hitting the double digits now for the chapters, yaaay! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH for all the amazing and positive feed back for this story (oh my god I just typed in food back but I edited it now, it's all good). It literally means the world to me. Apparently people are talking about this story on Twitter?**__** That is so awesome haha! I actually have a Twitter and would love to talk to you guys, so if you want to know what it is just PM me or leave a review, and I will PM you! Anyways, I really cannot thank you enough for the crazy amount of reviews you guys give me. I'm sending all my love to each and every one of you! A jealous Austin request, you say? Um, DUH. Here you go, ladies... Let the fun begin...**_

* * *

_"Ally, come on!" Austin shouted, running towards the cotton candy booth. I timidly stepped forward but shrank back, the tall rides and pale faced strangers with red noses frightening me. Austin looked at me confusingly as I tugged nervously on my braids."Ally, what's wrong?"_

_"I don't like it here," I murmured to him. _

_His young brown eyes immediately softened as he shot me a comforting smile. "There's nothing to be afraid of. See those guys?" he said, pointing to the scary looking paint faced people. "Those are just clowns. They don't really look like that. Underneath all that gunk they look just like the rest of us."_

_"Why do they have all that stuff on their face?" I asked him, letting go of my braids. _

_"It's to make people laugh. They do magic tricks and pull pranks on people. They're the good guys, Ally, I promise," he explained. I bit my lip in hesitation. _

_"Are you sure?" I asked. He took my hand and that's when I felt my face heat up, my heart race at an unusual pace. _

_"I won't let anything bad to you," he declared, linking his pinky through mine and sending me a grin that was, for some strange reason making my stomach feel queasy yet delightful all at the same time. "Promise."_

_And as he took my hand, not letting go of it, as he led me towards the clowns, as we watched the clowns make animal shapes out of balloons, I looked down at our hands clasped together, then up at him. What was this perplexing feeling I was having, these weird heart palpitations and waves of queasiness in my stomach? It wasn't until the clown handed me a giraffe shaped balloon that the realization hit me:_

_I like Austin._

I shook my head, blinking rapidly to get rid of the memory. Of course, this task was practically impossible. Erasing a memory, a feeling, a person, was harder and more difficult than I expected. In my song book, if I didn't like a lyric, I could grab an eraser and run it roughly against the page until it was faint and gone. But life didn't work this way. A soft piece of rubber couldn't erase a heart brimming with a thousand emotions for one single person. It was scientifically impractical.

"Ally, we're here," Elliot's voice suddenly said, interrupting me from my thoughts. I gave him a weak smile and got out of the car. I was seventeen now, yet my heart still seemed to be twelve. The last time I had been at a fair, I had realized that I had feelings for my best friend. This time, right now, five years ago, was completely different. I looked over at Elliot and, to be honest, he really wasn't that bad of a guy.

He had picked me up on time. He had complimented my outfit, even though all I had on was a loose light blue tank top paired with jeans and wedges. His car had been clean and presentable. He didn't blast his music.

But a different girl should be in my place.

I belong in a rusty pick up truck, being driven by a blonde haired boy who likes to play his music obnoxiously loud. That's my rightful place. That's where I've always been.

The fair lights still shone just as brightly as they did five years ago. The colors on the clown's faces were just as vivid and clear and sharp. I could faintly smell the corn dogs and fries being cooked over at the Food Booth, and I smiled as I reminisced back to when Austin and I had to scrape our money together just to buy one small plate of fries.

"There they are!" Elliot announced, and my heart flopped as he took my hand in his and dragged me towards the two people I had been dreading to see.

"Hey guys!" Kira exclaimed cheerfully, sporting a floral dress. Our eyes locked and I shifted uncomfortably. I broke eye contact with her and turned to face Austin, who held a grim expression as he observed Elliot. "This is going to be so great! I haven't been to a fair in forever."

"Same here," Elliot replied. "I'm just happy Ally asked me to come with her." He turned to me and smiled, squeezing my hand. I gulped.

"It's really no problem," I murmured, taking another glance at Austin, who at the moment was resembling a volcano ready to burst. Kira stared at him questioningly, leaning in to whisper comforting words in his ear. I felt my teeth clench together. Jealousy was not a feeling I was familiar with, and so far it didn't feel pleasant. I intertwined my fingers with Elliot, who looked at me with surprised eyes, and forced a smile onto my face. "Promise you'll come with me on the ferris wheel?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Austin's body tense up, his hands slowly turning into fists. He shot me a look, but I brushed it away.

"Promise," Elliot said, grinning now. "What should we go on first?"

"How about-"

"That roller coaster over there," Austin said quickly, interrupting me from my sentence.

"Austin, I don't really like roller coasters..." Kira added uneasily. He wrapped an arm around her and I looked down at the ground, spotting the small cracks the earth was beginning to form.

"It'll be fine, trust me." A strange glimmer appeared in his eyes. "In fact, you can ride with Ally!"

"_What_?" I asked, folding my arms. "But I-"

"I'd like to sit with Elliot, chat with him for a couple of seconds," Austin said. "You wouldn't mind, right Ally?"

I shot him a glare and let out a shaky sigh. "No, not at all," I seethed.

_Really? _the friendly voice in my head asked. _Because if I were you, I would mind that I'm on a date with the wrong guy, that the right guy is on a date with the wrong girl, and that the wrong guy and the right guy despise each other._

_You're not helping, _I thought.

Wrong and right didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was...

I have no idea what matters.

* * *

"I feel like I'm going to hurl," Kira moaned, her face looking sickly pale. My eyes widened, and my Old Ally best friend instinct took over.

"Oh no, come on, let's get you to the bathroom," I said, placing my hand carefully against her back while swinging her arm over my shoulder as I led the way.

"We'll wait here," Austin replied, grinning in an off putting manner.

_Don't do anything to him, _I mouthed, glaring.

_Never, _Austin mouthed back, sending me an innocent smile.

As Kira knelt down in front of the toilet, spewing with all her might, she managed to ask one question. "What are you doing?"

I blinked and frowned. "What do you mean?" I asked, rubbing her back comfortingly. She took another swing before answering.

"Why are you helping me?"

I bit my lip and stared at the floor. So many unwritten words were laced within her question. She had stolen the boy that I loved. She had ruined our friendship. Why _was _I helping her?

"Because it's the right thing to do," I replied, staring her straight in the eye. She nodded, sending me a small smile before leaning over to empty the rest of her contents. I had been taught at a very young age to do the right thing. As I grew older, I taught myself to do the right thing more often when no one was looking, because we shouldn't always need recognition for doing something right.

"Ally," Kira gasped, leaning her forehead against the palm of her hand as she squeezed her eyes shut. "You go ahead, I'll just catch up with you."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded her head. "Positive. Go. You can't keep Elliot waiting forever," she laughed. I sighed and got up from the floor, dusting my jeans and exiting the bathroom. My eyes scanned the crowd, which was teeming with large groups of teenagers. I spotted a boy and a girl holding hands, still young and naive, still living in a land where worries were simply spelling tests and who could swing the highest. I couldn't help but feel my heart swell at the fact that I used to be them. If only they knew that time eventually caught up with you, and everything you knew, every_one _you knew, could change drastically.

I spotted Austin and Elliot and began to walk toward them but froze when I heard my name in the conversation.

"Ally really is something special," Elliot sighed. I blushed. Maybe Trish was right. Maybe Elliot had real feelings for me.

"She is," Austin replied. My ears perked up. "What I don't get is why her?"

There was a pause and I could only imagine the forlorn look on Elliot's face, a look he gave when he truly didn't understand or grasp the concept of a question.

"Why _not _her?" he finally replied. "Have you seen Ally, man? She's hot-"

"Hey," Austin said threateningly and Elliot cleared his throat, murmuring something I couldn't quite make out.

"She's smart, funny, a great singer, and she's down to earth," Elliot continued. "The biggest question is why haven't _you_ made a move?"

I froze, every inch of me, as my ears strained and prepared themselves to hear Austin's answer. My heart was pounding at an unhealthy rate and I wanted to scream that question at the top of my lungs. This was the question that haunted me in my sleep, that distracted me from my homework, that everyone was always constantly asking me. Perhaps now, after so many years of waiting, I would finally receive a satisfactory answer.

"You don't think-"

"Ally?" Kira asked. I jumped from my spot and Austin and Elliot looked up suddenly. Austin's ears were turning red and Elliot scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Kira," I breathed, fighting off the urge to strangle her. "Are you alright now?"

She nodded, patting her stomach. "I think I need to stay off the roller coasters," she chuckled. I ran my fingers carelessly through my hair. So close.

So _close. _

Elliot squinted at me with curious eyes. "You weren't eavesdropping, were you?" he asked, smirking. Austin waited for me to answer. I took a deep breath.

"Nope," I lied, my voice steady and calm but my heart racing. "Come on. Let's try that game over there." Austin's eyes continued to burn holes into my back as I took Elliot by the hand, tugging him towards a water gun shooting booth. The rows of stuffed animals seemed enticing enough to make me smile and squeal at them. Elliot instantly realized what he had to do, so he took ahold of the gun and began to shoot at the target... or at least attempt to. I bit my lip, stifling a giggle at his trial and error experiment.

"He's terrible at that," a voice whispered in my ear. I turned around only to come face to face with a pair of familiar brown eyes. I frowned at him.

"It's the effort that counts," I shot back. "Where's Kira?"

He nodded his head over to Kira, who had her eyes set on a table filled with jewelry galore. My eyebrows rose in recognition. "Of course," I murmured.

"So how is your date?" he asked, his tongue clicking distastefully at the word _date. _I scowled.

"He is fantastic," I replied. He snorted and I shot him another look.

"Sure he is," he said as we both watched Elliot's shoulders slump in disappointment and defeat.

"Ally, I'm-" Elliot began, but I cut him off.

"It's okay," I said, giving him my warmest smile. "Those games are hard. I can't blame you."

"Oh, come on," Austin groaned, and I sent him my warning look. "It's not that hard!" He picked up the gun and aimed it at the target. "Is it so hard to shoot at the target," he said, pressing the trigger, "earn all the points," he continued as Elliot and I watched him reach a maximum score, "and get a stuffed animal?"

"Which one do you want?" the man behind the booth grunted, waving his arm towards the shelf. Elliot's jaw had dropped to the floor and Austin smirked, his eyes twinkling as he turned to look at me.

"Pick whatever you want, Ally," Austin said, leaning to whisper in my ear before he walked away. "You're welcome."

My cheeks blazed a bright pink as I watched his figure walk towards Kira. Darn those plaid shirts he wore. Darn that smile of his. Darn everything. Elliot stared at me with careful eyes.

"He's right. Pick something," he murmured softly. I shook my head, swallowing the knot in my throat down and placing my hand in his.

"He's not my date," I said, feeling my heart soar as his face lit up. Maybe with Elliot, there could be a happy ending after all.

* * *

The table was awkwardly silent as our mouths continually kept hesitating to make conversation. Elliot and I sat on one side while Austin and Kira sat on another. There was clearly some sort of invisible line drawn here, something that separated all of us from one another. But I was willing to climb that wall.

"Senior year has been so hectic," I stated, breaking the lull.

Elliot nodded his head, quick to agree. "Between the play and my AP classes, it's honestly a nightmare. Senioritis is real, man."

Austin rolled his eyes. "Well between _my _classes, sports, and demo recording, your schedule is pretty puny."

My jaw dropped wide and then I realized that he had said two words I was not familiar with. "Demo recording?" I asked, my voice small. His face dropped and he cleared his throat uneasily.

Kira nodded, grinning. Of _course _she would know, always one step ahead of me. "Isn't it so exciting? My dad is really eager to hear Austin's demo. If he likes it, Austin just may become the next big thing!" she squealed. My stomach dropped as I stared at him questioningly, wondering what on earth she was talking about.

Kira noticed the sudden tensity that had filled the air. "You didn't know?" she asked.

I sent her a cold stare. "No." She shrank back a bit.

Elliot placed a comforting hand on my knee, and I didn't know whether to feel reassured or nervous that his hand was on that part of my body already. "That's great, Austin," he said, sending me a consoling smile.

I nodded slightly, forcing a grin. "It's great," I repeated.

"So the play is coming up soon," Elliot said, changing the topic much to my relief. "Did Miss Lu tell you the extra she was adding into the script?"

I shook my head. "What extra?" I asked.

"Yeah, what extra?" Austin asked, his tone rough. I shot him a glare.

"Ariel and Eric have to kiss," Elliot stated simply. My eyebrows rose in shock, and I heard something crunch. I looked over at Austin, who had squeezed his water bottle to death.

"A _kiss_?" Austin seethed. I looked at him questioningly, sending him Ally signals to calm down.

"I think it's perfect. Right Ally?" Elliot inquired.

"_I _don't think it's perfect," Austin cut in before I could even reply. "A kiss, I mean, out of all the things she could add into the play! She could add in a... a hug, a handshake... those things are romantic, too!"

Kira laughed. "A _handshake, _Austin?" she giggled.

"The kiss sounds stupid," Austin huffed. "Right Ally?"

"Um, w-well-"

"She'll be fine," Elliot sighed.

"No she won't," Austin replied.

"Yes, she will."

"No, she won't!"

"Yes."

"No."

"Ye-"

"Guys!" I yelled, taking one last bite of my pizza. "Whatever I do is my decision!" The boys immediately shut their mouths, but not before Austin let out one last mutter.

It sounded strangely like: "But I'm your best friend."

* * *

"Do you like the heart shaped balloon I forced the clown to make you?" Elliot asked, a mischievous grin plastered onto his face. I giggled, holding the lightweight pink item tightly in one hand.

"It's great," I sighed.

"You're killing me," he said suddenly, and the smile faded from my face.

"W-what?" I stuttered. He stared at me for a moment and then laughed.

"It's not a bad thing!" he exclaimed, and my shoulders dropped in relief. "I just... I need to ask you something."

My stomach began to shake. "Okay," I murmured softly.

"Am I a good date?"

I looked up at him in surprise and let out a startled laugh. "_That's_ the question?"

He blinked. "Well, yeah. What did you think I was going to ask?"

My face was burning with embarrassment. "I thought you were going to ask about... you know..." I let the sentence trail off before the light bulb appeared above his head.

"The kiss?" he said, then looked at something behind me and spoke louder. "You thought I was going to ask you about the day I kissed you?"

"Why are you talking so loud?" I asked, turning around to see what he could possibly be looking at. My eyes fixed themselves on a blonde head standing out in the crowd and my heart stopped. I whipped back around to shove Elliot's shoulder. "To answer your question, yes you were a great date until you did _that_!"

A hand tightly latched itself onto my arm and dragged me through the crowd. I panicked, flailing around until I realized who it was. "What are you doing?" I screamed.

Austin didn't say a word as he continued to pull me, squeezing the both of us through the clusters of people. The smiles on their passing faces began to blur together and I felt my eyes tearing up in fear. We finally stopped in front of a ride, and I looked up at the distinguished one we happened to land on. We waited in the line silently. I kept opening my mouth to speak but the look on his face held me back. His eyes were dark, darker than usual, and his mouth was formed in one straight line. As we took a seat in one of the cars and the ride began to move, he opened his mouth.

"You kissed him." Three short words said in a flat tone that I couldn't manage to read. I couldn't bring myself to look at him so I stared at my hands instead.

"No..." I sighed.

"No?" Austin snapped.

"_No. _He kissed me," I explained. "We were rehearsing our script at Mini's and then he said..." I paused, realizing that to tell the whole story, some truths needed to be left unsaid. "...something. And it upset me, and then he just leaned in and... you know."

"But you guys kissed?" Austin asked. I nodded, fiddling with the ends of my hair.

"And you didn't tell me?" he asked, leaning towards me. I shrank back.

"I didn't know how to tell you," I said, my voice quivering. "I honestly just want to forget about it, okay?"

"Sure, let's try and forget the fact that my best friend got her first kiss and she didn't even tell me!" he yelled. I frowned.

"Are we really going to do this right now?" I groaned, folding my arms.

"We're on a ferris wheel. I think now is a good time for anything," he shot back. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Fine! Anything, hm? How about the fact that your girlfriend is more interested in shiny jewelry than _you_?" I questioned. He glared at me.

"Well _your _boyfriend can't even win you a stuffed animal! How lame is that?"

"He's not my boyfriend," I flared. "Why are you so pissed anyway?"

He opened his mouth and then shut it.

"I answered all of your questions," I stated. "Why won't you answer any of mine?"

He looked at me with intense eyes. "Maybe you aren't asking the right questions."

I rolled my eyes. "What's _that _supposed to mean?" I asked, but he sat stubbornly in silence. As we reached the top, I noticed how close we seemed to the sky. The stars appeared to be just within reach, and the moon was softly glowing. I turned my attention back to Austin. This whole night had been a whirl wind of mixed feelings, of trying to have a perfect night with a perfect date, even if he was the wrong guy. But now here I was the right guy, and I was on a ferris wheel with him, and everything should have seemed right with the world. "Do you remember when we were both twelve and you brought me here?"

The grim look immediately was swiped off his face and a comfortable aura filled us both. He cracked a small smile.

"Of course," he said softly. "You were terrified of the clowns."

"You held my hand so that I wasn't scared," I added, chuckling. We shared a delicate laugh as the ride began to slowly spin its way back down to earth. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about the kiss."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's okay," he murmured.

"Do you want to know why I didn't tell you?" I said, my knees shaking. We were almost reaching the ground now and I had to say it before I lost my nerve.

"Why?" he asked, his eyes burning themselves into mine. I gulped. The ride came to a halt and our door opened.

"Because it wasn't with the right guy."

* * *

The drive back home in Elliot's car was silent a good majority of the time. I stared out the window and his eyes stayed focused on the road. It wasn't until we reached my house that he spoke.

"I keep messing up, don't I?" he sighed. I laughed, nodding.

"Just a little bit," I answered, scrunching my nose in the process.

"Was he pissed?" Elliot sighed.

"He was in the beginning, but we're alright now," I explained. Elliot shook his head at me. "What?"

"Ally, you are as blind as a bat!" he exclaimed. I pouted.

"You really are a terrible date," I teased.

"You really are blind," he retorted. "You love him, don't you?"

I gulped. "It doesn't matter," I whispered, turning to get out of the car, but his hand held me back.

"Why are you so afraid?" he asked. "Why can't you just let yourself love him? Why are you trying so hard to get over him? Why do you-"

"Stop!" I shouted, my eyes brimming. "He has a girlfriend, that's why! I'm just his best friend, and I'm never going to be anything more."

"He's crazy about you," Elliot said softly. I swiped away the tears and looked up at him.

"No he's not," I chuckled sarcastically. "As much as I want to believe that he is, he's not."

"But he is, Ally. Don't you see it? The way he gets angry whenever I'm near you, whenever I touch you. He's crazy about you. He just doesn't know it yet."

I sniffled and shook my head, getting out of the car.

The house was quiet as I stepped inside, taking off my shoes. I carefully walked up the stairs, making sure none of the floorboards squeaked as I crept into my room and slid to the floor. I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell, I wanted to scream.

But doing any of these things would only add onto the exhaustion. I was tired of feeling this way, tired of putting myself down, tired of wondering what my life could be like if I let myself be happy. I couldn't get the image of Austin's face after I'd told him that Elliot wasn't the right guy. His eyes were cloudy for a moment and then he grinned.

Why did he grin?

My hands were trembling as I took out my phone and went to the conversation from a couple days ago.

_I'm too busy trying to get over you._

Send.

* * *

_**So sorry if the fair scenes weren't satisfactory! I was really racking my brain trying to think of all the possible ways Austin can get jealous over, and this is what my mind**_ **_developed. I know I keep leaving you guys hanging, what with all these cliff hangers, so sorry for that too! All in all, I really hope you guys enj_**_**oyed this highly awaited chapter! What do you think will happen next? Leave a review with your theories and opinions, and let me know how I'm **__**doing. Or tweet me, now you have that option too! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, IT'S INSANE. **_


	11. Chapter : Lowering Down the Volume

_**I didn't reach over 200 views, WE did. I literally have the biggest smile on my face as I type this. Not only has this reached Twitter apparently, but you guys have given me tons of reviews and I cannot thank you enough! You are so amazing and I appreciate every single review, opinion and suggestion you leave. It means SO MUCH. I couldn't have done it without you guys. I really wanted to post Chapter 11 right away in case our internet gets shut down because, I'm going to be honest with you guys since you all have been nothing but honest with me, we haven't paid our bill yet. Blegh. That's my life. But it's all good, this too shall pass. So here is Chapter 11 for all of you lovelies...**_

* * *

What amazes me is how I'm able to sleep that night. My body is worn out. My bones feel weary. My heart feels sore. Technology can do wonders. One click of a button, one little word, _send, _can change everything. That night I have no reoccurring dreams, no reminisces of the past. I wish I could have gone back in time and warned myself, wish I could have whispered early words of comfort that everything was going to be okay, that this wasn't going to be just another cliche romance with your best friend.

If only I had known there would be this many obstacles.

* * *

My phone is ringing and beeping constantly. The sounds and pings come one after another, a never ending string of plastic pitches. I should be getting out of bed right about now, brushing my teeth and going downstairs to eat breakfast, taking my usual shift behind the counter at Sonic Boom. But my body won't seem to let me. I unplug my phone from its charger and scroll through the row of texts.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:54 am  
What?_

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:55 am  
Ally, I don't understand. What are you trying to say?_

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:56 am  
Please text me back. _

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:57 am  
Why won't you pick up your phone? I've been leaving voicemail after voicemail... _

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:58 am  
I can't read your mind Ally, please tell me what's going on. _

I sigh, clicking on my voicemail inbox and pressing the speaker to my ear.

_"Hey Ally, I got your text... I don't... I mean, what... I don't understand. Was this for Elliot? Did you text me by accident? Call me back, please."_

_"Ally, come on, pick up your phone. I don't know what to do here, I can't sleep unless you tell me what that text meant. Call me back."_

_"Ally, I'm seriously going to bust through your window if you don't call me back. This text is driving me nuts, I need to know. Call me back."_

The voicemails continued to blur together, all with the same line and the same frantic intonation of "Call me back, please." In some strange way I felt relieved.

I had sent the text. Eight words, eleven syllables, one sentence that was clearly causing him chaos. Maybe it was time he got a taste of his own medicine. I had stayed up many nights, tossing and turning, not being able to sleep because the thought of him was enough to drive me insane. Maybe now it was his turn.

On the other hand, he was a guy. Guys tended to pick up on things slowly and carefully, almost as if they treated everything with caution. But my sentence had been quite the opposite of fragile. It had said what I needed to say. If he didn't understand that, then I wasn't sure how else I could possibly further elaborate it for him.

* * *

A soft knock came at my door. I was still snuggled up in bed, the blankets tucked all the way up to my chin. I felt like I was wrapped in my own little cocoon. The door opened and my dad stood, staring at me with concerned eyes.

"Ally, honey, Austin is here to see you," he whispered.

"Tell him to go away," I croaked, pulling the blankets fully over my head.

* * *

He left another voicemail.

_"Ally, you can't hide from me forever."_

Wanna bet?

* * *

It's Sunday now. I've managed to get up at least once or twice, just to use the bathroom and get something to eat from downstairs in the kitchen. My dad still holds the same worried expression, but he doesn't question why I'm holing myself up in my room. He probably knows that it's about Austin.

I guess the word has spread because Trish calls me, too.

"Hello?" I grunt.

"Thank God you picked up the phone. Austin has been nagging me non-stop about your text! You sent it?" she asked.

"Yeah," I sighed.

"Well why?!" she yelled.

"Because."

"Can you clarify that statement a little more?"

"No."

She sighs. "Ally, don't play the one word game with me right now. I'm on your side, remember? I'm just trying to help you."

My eyes brim with tears. "Maybe I'm going nuts," I murmured. "To think I even had a chance with him... it's stupid."

"It's not stupid," she softly replied. "God, I hate hearing you say these things. That's it, I'm coming over whether you like it or not."

"Trish-"

"No buts! I'm coming, and I'm bringing a dart board with Austin's face on it and ice cream and a shit ton of feminist movies because you don't need a man to make you happy!"

I made a strange sound and realized it was laughter. Mechanical laughter, but it was a start. "Okay," I said, giving in.

* * *

Giggles were continuously streaming out of my lungs as I aimed at Austin's forehead, the dart held steadily in one hand. I threw it, landing on his cheek.

"Close enough," Trish chuckled. I grinned, sighing and flopping onto my bed. I looked over at the empty ice cream container on my desk. We had spooned it to death and finished the entire carton while watching The Heat.

Sandra Bullock was my new hero.

"So," Trish said, pulling the darts out of Austin's face, "how are you feeling?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Better than how I was feeling these past two days," I admitted. "Thank you."

And I truly meant it. If it weren't for Trish, I'd still be wallowing and rotting away in my bed wasting tears over someone who had never cried for me.

"Are you ready to go to school tomorrow?" she asked, lying down next to me.

I bit my lip. "I don't know," I whispered. "I'm not ready to see him. How am I supposed to avoid someone who knows me too well? He'll find me eventually."

"Well you can't run away from him forever, Ally," she reminded me. I groaned.

"Why not?" I pleaded, getting up from my bed as I began to pace back and forth. "Why can't I just leave, move to another state, move to another _world_?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Because that's a fantasy. Good thing I'm here to bring you back to reality."

"Party pooper." I pouted and let out a small laugh as I threw a pillow at her.

* * *

So far the coast had been clear. I had woken up extra early and had my dad drive me to school so that I could avoid an awkward car ride with Austin. I had managed to hide in the girl's bathroom with Trish during brunch and lunch.

"He's looking for you," she'd hissed, handing me my usual burger and fries.

And now, it was the end of the day. I had made it through an entire school day without seeing him. Mission accomplished. I sighed in relief as I spun the dial on my locker, grabbing a few books and mentally making sure I hadn't forgotten any homework assignments.

"Ally."

I froze.

_Busted, _the sneaky voice whispered in my mind. I gulped, debating on whether I should turn around. I took a deep breath and bolted, running as fast as I could.

"Ally, wait!" he called, and I was running out of oxygen as my legs took off at lightning speed. The campus was nearly empty since the school day was over. Even Trish had already departed with Dez. I longed to be in his weird mini blue convertible, anywhere but here, anywhere but this moment that I didn't want to face. A strong hand roughly pulled my back, swinging me around and leaving me no other choice but to come face to face with him. My eyes quickly averted themselves to the ground.

Now would have been a good time to be abducted by aliens.

"I've been looking for you _everywhere,_" he huffed.

I imagined my mouth was sewn shut, like Coraline. Perhaps soon I would have buttons for eyes.

"We need to talk," he said. I continued to stare at the ground. A leaf daintily danced along the earth, and I followed it with my eyes as it moved its way towards the office.

_Take me with you, _I thought.

His finger placed itself underneath my chin, tilting my face up towards his. _There_ were those chestnut eyes, that soft expression he usually wore when he was frustrated, his hair discernibly tangled from combing it constantly with his fingers, something he did when he was hurting.

I searched his eyes for words to say but nothing came to mind.

"Say something," he murmured. "Talk to me. Hit me. Slap me. Whatever it takes, I-"

I smacked him hard across the face as his eyes flew wide in surprise. A small, angry red hand print began to form on his cheek. I slapped him again. Then I punched his chest, then his arm, then his shoulder. Tears began to stream out of my eyes as I sobbed.

"_Hit _you, _slap _you, whatever it takes," I wailed, repeating his words bitterly. "You don't think I haven't told myself to stop? That I haven't thought 'Ally, you're stupid. Don't fall for your best friend.' You think I haven't lost sleep over thoughts of you?"

His face was shocked, his eyes becoming too painful to look at.

"I've _tried, _Austin, believe me. But one text... one call... that's all it takes to make me come back to you. My heart gives in too easily when I'm around you, and it hurts too much because I know that yours is already taken. Because I know that all you see when you look at me is some girl," I snapped.

He shook his head. "That's not true," he breathed.

"Isn't it?" I asked, biting my lip as salty tears stung my cheeks, leaving trails of sorrow down my face. "Why didn't you see me before you saw her?" I turned around, not having the strength to look at him, my shoulders heaving as another sob escaped my throat. "It's because she's pretty, right? She's perfect."

His hand cupped itself around my waist as he turned me around to face him. His brows were turned down, his mouth in a frown. "Is that how you look at me?" he asked. "Do you really think I'm that shallow? That all I look for in a girl is _appearance_?"

I shoved him away from me, gasping for air. "Because it's the truth!" I screamed. "Your eyes fall in love first, Austin." I felt a crack inside my chest. "No matter how shallow it may seem, that's how it works. _Yes_, I love you! _Yes_, I've felt this way for a long time! Are you happy now?"

He shook his head. "No."

I blinked in confusion.

"_No_, because you're angry with me. _No_, because I'm angry with myself." His voice was shaking now, and it made me long for a fast forward button just so I could figure out what he was trying to say faster. "Ally, I-"

"Austin!" a voice squealed, and I looked up at Kira running excitedly towards him, wrapping him in a big hug. He stood still, not replying to her body language. Another crack erupted in my chest. "Great news! My dad loved your demo! He's going to sign you!" Kira turned around to look at me and her face fell. "Ally? What's-"

I ran, ran until my lungs were on fire, ran until my face turned dry and the tears were engraved in the cracks of my skin, ran until the ground seemed to melt into my heels. The words were out. And as much as my mind and heart were jumbled up right now, Austin had been right about one thing.

I couldn't hide from him forever.

* * *

"_What have you done to her_?" Elliot cried. We were slowly beginning to not need our scripts anymore. I still had mine's in hand as a crutch, just in case.

"Now Ally, I need you to cry in this scene," Miss Lu declared. "Do you think you can do that?"

I numbly nodded. Ten minutes ago, I had confessed to Austin. Ten minutes ago, the words _I love you _had escaped my mouth.

"Let's run through it again!" Miss Lu shouted and everyone jumped into their positions. Elliot shot me a distraught look. My puffy eyes were an obvious sign to a crying session. I had brushed it off, lying that I had allergies to the grass. Of course he'd disdainfully looked at me with accusing eyes and decided to leave it alone... for now.

"_What have you done to her?_" Elliot repeated with just as much emotion.

"_You don't need her,_" Priscilla, who played one of the atrocious characters that despised Ariel, hissed. "_How could you ever want someone like her? Look at her! She's pitiful. Invisible. A nothing."_

Her words bit into me deeper than I expected and the tears slid easily.

Pitiful.

Invisible.

Nothing.

"_Or do you have an opinion, Ariel?_" Priscilla mocked, since Ariel was forbidden to speak. I looked up at her through rainy eyes. "_She's mute, too. What a joke._"

Oh, Priscilla. I've been anything but mute today, trust me.

* * *

Homework can wait. I decide to visit the beach to clear my thoughts. The waves bring me back to a time when things were simpler, when all there was between Austin and I was the shining sun and the hot sand. Summer. A time when things had been better, happier, easier.

I dipped my toes lightly into the freezing water and I instantly thought of how cold it had felt when Austin had dragged both of us in and under. A shiver ran through my spine just thinking about it. A loud thud made my head snap up and I spotted a large group of boys running in my direction. I gulped. They looked not much older than me, perhaps in college.

One of them, a dark haired one, spotted me and began whispering to his friends, who all nodded their heads and laughed loudly. An uneasy feeling began to settle into my stomach, and I turned around to make my way back home, but their sudden shouts made me stiffen.

"Hey, where are you going?" one of them shouted. I made my limbs move faster, but soon they all crowded around me. My hands began to shake in fear. I smelled alcohol on their breath as they moved in closer, like a pack of wolves. The dark haired boy harshly placed a hand on my shoulder, and I shoved it away in anger. They hooted in laughter. I felt sick.

"That wasn't very nice," one of them cackled, leaning in closer to me. I screamed as he suddenly was knocked down to the ground by someone. One of the boys tried to pick me up but I kicked him and he collapsed in pain. The other boys ran off, and the dark haired one shoved me into the waves. My yells could not be heard as I swallowed seawater, my throat choking. A familiar pair of strong arms pulled me out, and it didn't matter that my eyes were burning from the sudden cold water. I would know these hands anywhere. I could make out the familiar pattern of his palm lines, the fact that his thumb held a rough callus from basketball practice, and not to mention how his hands were much bigger than mine.

I coughed almost violently, my lungs wheezing for air. I winced as I tried to move my shoulder, assuming that the dark haired boy must have left a nasty bruise after gripping onto me so tightly. Once I caught my breath, I opened my mouth to speak.

"How did you know I'd be here?" I asked, looking up at Austin.

"You always come here when you need to think," he chuckled softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "The thing is, so do I."

"Oh." Silence lapsed around us, and I looked up to observe his cheek, the angry red mark still present. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I deserved it," he sighed, wrapping an arm around me. I let myself mold into him, ignoring my mind and focusing only on my heart. "Ally, I-"

"Don't," I whispered, pulling away from him so that I could look at his face properly. "I should've told you sooner... I just... It was hard to."

He shook his head, and I noticed his eyes slightly welling up. "I'm so sorry," he managed to choke out. "For putting you through that... Why didn't you say anything?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "You know me. Ally the Martyr."

"It's not funny," he mumbled, his eyes fighting away the threatening tears. I frowned and cupped a hand around his face.

"Hey," I murmured as he looked up at me. "Maybe it's not okay now... but you're still my best friend. That's never going to change."

He nodded as he squeezed my hand, helping me up and taking off his jacket, placing it around my shoulders. "Let's get you some ice for that shoulder."

And as we walked back to my house, as we talked and laughed, as I wore his jacket around my shoulders, I realized that maybe it wasn't letting him go that I needed to do. Maybe it was embracing him, because the truth is, I could never let go of my best friend.

* * *

Trumpets blared as I exited the house, walking towards Shelby. I laughed and rolled my eyes, pulling the zipper of my jacket up higher to keep away the morning breeze.

"What is this silliness?" I questioned him.

He grinned, eager to answer my question. He waved his phone in my face cheerfully. "It's an Instrument App. You deserve a symphony every time you enter or exit an area," he replied. I rolled my eyes. He had promised me that he things were going to change. My confession had suddenly triggered something in him, and what it was I wasn't quite sure of yet, but it was _something_.

"This is really unnecessary, Austin," I sighed, stepping inside and taking my place in the passenger seat.

"Ally," he said, his tone turning serious as he stared straight into my eyes. "I'm going to make it up to you."

I gulped and nodded. My heart felt itself flutter again. I was honestly just relieved that my confession hadn't ruined our friendship or made things awkward. I might have slapped him and punched every inch of him, but I still loved him. And he knew that now. We had a long talk last night once we reached my house.

"So you love me," he'd murmured, pressing the ice carefully against my shoulder.

"So I love you," I'd repeated, biting my lip anxiously. He sighed.

"Why?" he'd asked.

I blushed. "You don't want to know."

His eyebrows had risen in confusion, making me blush even harder. He cleared his throat. "You're still my best friend, Ally."

For some strange reason, those two words didn't hurt so much anymore. Maybe it was the fact that he finally knew how I really felt about him. "I know," I said.

"And I care about you more than anything else in this universe. I would dodge a bullet for you and punch a group of _rapists _for you," he hissed, brushing his fingers lightly against my shoulder. "But-"

"Austin, you don't have to give me the just friends speech," I sighed, surprised at how comfortable this conversation was. The confession had been painful, but the after effect seemed... simpler. My walls were down. There was nothing to hide anymore. A large weight had been lifted off my chest.

Now it was his turn to blush. "I was going to say 'but I'm going to make it up to you.'"

I blinked. "What?"

"I'm going to be a better best friend," he'd declared triumphantly. "I'm going to make you feel happy, even if I can't love you the way you love me. I don't want to make you feel sad anymore."

I had giggled at how ridiculous it all sounded. "Austin," I laughed, but he cut me off.

"I'm serious," he stated. "It's my turn now." I remembered smiling.

Now in the pick up truck, he turned on the radio and stared at me, smiling as he turned down the volume. My eyebrows rose in amusement. Austin Moon, lowering the volume of his music for me? Maybe turning the reigns over to him wasn't such a bad thing.

* * *

_**Oh my freaking gosh, tell me why I wanted to cry while writing this chapter?! And I'M the one writing it. My emotions are all over the place today, goodness gracious. In case you didn't understand the time flow of this chapter, Ally basically spent an awful weekend moping over Austin. When she confesses, it's Monday. Anyways, don't forget to leave a review to let me know how I'm doing and to leave your awesome opinions (or bad, I welcome all), or tweet me. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, sorry if it was too sad, but I really tried to place myself in Ally's shoes and tried to imagine what could have happened next. I know for sure I wouldn't have jumped into Austin's arms, I'd have felt really hurt, so what better way than to make Austin work to make Ally happy again... who knows, maybe he'll fall for her along the way... Wink wink. What would you guys have done or felt if you were in Ally's place, let me know, I'd love to hear it! THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH, SENDING A MILLION VIRTUAL HUGS AND SINGING HAPPILY.**_


	12. Chapter 12: Polaroid Camera

_**The reviews for the last chapter were AMAZING! I really loved reading each and every one of them because you all had such different opinions on what YOU would have done if you were in Ally's place. I have a pretty open mind so it was really cool to see that some of you didn't agree with Ally's actions, and some of you did. I debated on whether I should post that chapter or not because of the big twist, which was Austin not feeling the same way and working hard to make Ally happy again. While some of you are now scared of where this story is heading, I just wanted to give you guys a friendly reminder that this is an Austin & Ally story, and Auslly is definitely still end game. There are just going to be some twists and turns along the way. Quick Raura moment before we start: Did you guys hear that Ross said in a J-14 magazine interview that him and Laura are like a **__**MARRIED COUPLE**__**? I practically fangirled for over an hour while my mom stared at me like a lunatic. Okay, here we go!**_

* * *

"So let me get this straight: Austin knows that you love him," Trish stated quietly as we observed our notes in the composition notebook. The facts on platonic friendships seemed endless. There was still so much to cover, but plenty of time luckily lay ahead, so this comforted me. My inner dork was absolutely determined to ace this project.

I nodded. "Yes."

"And... he's not freaked out about it?" she asked. "This is weird! And totally unexpected if I'm going to be completely honest with you, Ally."

I sighed, flipping through a page or two and taking out my pencil to fix a few grammatical errors that Trish had made. "So am I. The weirdest part is that he wants to," I paused, putting air quotes with my fingers, "make it up to me."

Trish's eyebrows rose before she started chortling. I bit my lip and couldn't help but smile at her reaction.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"It's just... He's so _accepting _of the fact that you like him, that's all. It's really uncanny because in most situations," Trish said, flipping to a certain page in our notebook to show me evidence, "when a best friend confesses, the other reacts by either feeling awkward or feeling confused, thus making the friendship disintegrate."

I placed my forehead into my palm. "I don't understand it myself," I groaned. "What should I do?"

"Before I can answer that, I need to ask you this: how do you feel about him after confessing?"

I snapped the notebook shut, pondering my mind for what words I should use in my answer. I breathed, shaking my head. "To be honest, I still feel hurt. Most of me is hurt simply because he's been so blind this whole time, but I can't really blame him for that because I did put up a front. The rest of me is angry over other reasons, like the fact that he didn't tell me about his demo dealing with Kira's dad."

Trish frowned. "Demo dealing? What demo dealing?" she asked, folding her arms. I leaned in closer to her.

"It's hard to explain," I whispered. "But Austin's biggest dream has been to become a performing artist, a singer. We used to day dream about it all the time when we were younger."

I smiled, my mind flashing back to a reminisce.

_"My name's Austin Moon and I'm gonna sing a song for you!" he exclaimed, jumping out of my closet sporting sunglasses and a guitar strapped onto his shoulders. _

_I giggled, clapping. "Woohoo!" I shouted, watching him sing a song that had repetitively been playing on the radio. I watched his face light up as he sang, his feet swaying to the beat inside his head, his fingers strumming themselves against the strings of the guitar. Performing was second nature for him. When he was done, his cheeks had suddenly turned pink and he flopped down on the carpet next to me. _

_"What do you think?" he asked. _

_"That was amazing," I encouraged. _

_He sighed, leaning against the side of my bed. "Someday, I'm going to make it."_

_I beamed happily, a rush of emotion overcoming my nine year old body. "I believe in you."_

_He turned to look at me and grinned. "There's no way I can make it without you. Always remember that," he said. _

_I snorted, rolling my eyes and playfully shoving his shoulder. "Okay, Mr. Mushy Pants. C'mon, my mom's making mac and cheese for dinner!"_

"Ally?" Trish said, bringing me back to the present. I chuckled nervously, clearing my throat.

"That's always been his biggest dream," I murmured. "I'm just... I can't believe he didn't tell me, you know?"

She nodded. "He's an idiot. Take my advice," she sighed, "and enjoy the fact that he's going to make it up to you, but try to move on. There are more fish in the sea Ally, trust me."

I nodded, smiling sadly at the fact that she was probably right. "I know. Let's just hope I find him sooner than later," I mumbled before averting my attention back to our notebook.

* * *

_"Enjoy the fact that he's going to make it up to you, but try to move on." _Trish's words echoed in my head throughout the day as Austin's small but sweet gestures seemed to be strewn throughout my daily routine at school. When I opened my locker to retrieve my Spanish notebook, a small Post-It had been stuck onto the inside of the locker door.

It was a badly drawn picture of a dancing jar of pickles. A laugh escaped my throat and I peered over my shoulder, curious as to how he had managed to sneakily place this inside without me catching him. I shook my head in disbelief, wearing a smile on my face as I shut my locker door, folding the Post-It and tucking it carefully into my jeans pocket.

When I opened my Calculus notebook to begin taking notes later on in fourth period, a photo fell to the floor and slid underneath the desk of the person sitting next to me. Dallas, I believe his name was. He looked up at me and leaned over to fetch the photo. A smile grew on his face as he examined the picture before handing it back to me.

"You guys look good together. Is that your boyfriend?" he asked. I shot him a confused glance as I turned to look down at the photo.

Austin had wrapped an arm around me as I pretended to pull away, my head tilted back as the sun blazed red in the background. It had been taken during one of our frolicking days at the beach during the summer. His mom had bought him a Polaroid camera, and he'd taken too many pictures to the point where I yelled, "Go away paparazzi!"

I felt my face heat up. "No, he's my best friend," I said, and the words surprisingly didn't seem too painful to say anymore. I flipped the photo over and my fingers ran themselves over his messy handwriting scrawled onto the back in pen.

_Austin and Ally  
:)_

"Right," Dallas smirked sarcastically. I opened my mouth to prove him wrong, but decided it was too useless to even try. As strange as all these little gifts were for a girl who had just been friend zoned, it was actually working. My heart didn't feel weary or torn or distraught at all. I was smiling.

I was happy.

* * *

During a Physics lab, my phone buzzed. My partner seemed too busy texting herself to even help me, so I decided to oblige and take a glance at who had messaged.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
1:45 pm  
What do flies wear on their feet?_

I blinked, wondering whether he had finally lost it or was truly asking me, because sometimes Austin was not the sharpest tool in the shed.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
1:46 pm  
Idk, what?_

I nudged my lab partner. "Hey, can you grab that tube over there and hand it to me?" I asked.

"But it's so far," she whined. I glared and got up from my chair, realizing that in order to finish this lab, I'd have to work on it myself... _as usual. _I frowned as I poured the sulfate carefully into the tube. My phone buzzed.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
1:47_ _pm  
Shoos._

A giggle escaped from my mouth, and a few classmates stared at me oddly, but the joy running through my veins felt too good to hold back. I looked up at my partner, who was still twirling her hair and texting, probably about frivolous topics such as clothes or shoes. A surge of confidence grew inside me as I walked towards her, nearly slamming the test tube in front of her.

"Can you please put down your phone and help me with the lab? I would really appreciate it," I deadpanned. She stared at me with wide eyes before slipping her phone into her bag, swiftly nodding.

"Yeah, sure," she murmured. For awhile we worked in silence, me taking observational notes while she worked with the test tubes. What she said next affected me for the rest of the day.

"I was waiting for you to say something to me," she sighed. I looked up and was surprised when we both smiled at one another in agreement for the first time all year.

* * *

Another surprise awaited for me at lunch. I gushed to Trish about the small gifts Austin had been leaving for me to enjoy throughout the day.

"He really is a good friend," I said.

"But isn't it hard, knowing that he's leaving these cute little gifts as just a _friend _and not something more?" she asked, dodging a football that whizzed past her face. "Footballs belong on the field, you meat heads!"

I chuckled before answering. "This is going to sound weird, but no," I admitted, shrugging my shoulders. "Maybe we really are better off as friends."

She pouted. "I can agree to disagree." As we entered the cafeteria and made our way to the usual lunch line, two hands covered my eyes. I panicked and elbowed the stranger in the stomach, quickly turning around to see who the culprit was.

"Austin!" I gasped as he doubled over. Trish let out a small laugh and I glared at her. She bit her lip, hanging her head down to suppress the laughter. "God, are you okay?"

He nodded, standing straight up while rubbing his belly painfully. "Remind me to warn any future robbers that you have wicked self defense," he gulped. I rolled my eyes.

"What's up?" I asked. He grinned and handed me a familiar looking paper bag. "In-n-Out!"

"I know you've always wanted to try the burgers there so I got my mom to send some over here for you," he explained. I broke out into a peal of squeals and leaned in to hug him. At first my body froze, unsure whether this was okay, whether this was breaking the boundaries or not, but when he wrapped his arms around me I decided that this gesture was fine. I slowly pulled away.

"Thank you," I said. His eyes seemed to grow softer and his smile brighter. I waited for the butterflies in my stomach to appear, but their presence seemed faint.

"Austin!" a voice called, and Kira jogged her way towards us, a few loose strands of hair escaping from her bun. "Hey Ally!"

"Hi," I mumbled.

Her eyes moved to the In-n-Out bag and her mouth formed a small "o" as she gasped. "In-n-Out? Where did you get that?"

"Austin brought some for me," I replied, then realized how misguided that sentence seemed to sound. I watched Kira's spirit deflate a bit as she turned to face Austin.

"Did you get anything for me?" she asked. He quickly grew uncomfortable, his Converse tapping against the floor at an unsteady beat.

"Not today," he admitted. "But next time for sure!" His hand moved to wrap itself around her shoulder, but he looked over at me and quickly dropped it. I sent him a look along the lines of _there's-no-need-for-that. _He replied with _I-wanted-to. _

I bid my goodbyes to the both of them as Trish and I walked over to where Dez sat. The red head's eyes grew in excitement at the In-n-Out bag.

"Sharing is caring," he said nonchalantly, looking at me with pleading eyes. I sighed, handing him a french fry.

Trish cleared her throat. I laughed in disbelief and gave her one as well.

"But the burger is for me," I promptly defended, and the two sighed in defeat. I turned around, scanning for Austin and Kira. I spotted them sitting at a separate table, her yapping away, clearly excited about something. His eyes immediately locked with mine and he sent me a small smile. Kira slapped his arm, probably scolding him about not paying attention, and I giggled. His eyes met mine fleetingly one last time before he fully averted his attention to her. I let out a deep breath and drew myself back into Dez's theory about aliens.

"They exist! I'm telling you guys!" he exclaimed. Trish shook her head at him, but I could make out the secret smile on her face that showed she secretly thought his ranting was adorable. I searched inside the paper bag for napkins and instead found the receipt. I had apparently been order number one, and above the number Austin had scribbled, in crayon nonetheless, a few extra words.

_You're my  
#1_

I smiled and felt Trish's arm nudge mine.

"You alright? You're kinda glowing," she whispered.

I nodded. "I think for the first time in awhile... yeah," I replied, happily tucking the receipt into my pocket along with the Post-It.

* * *

_It's the way you walk  
It's the, it's the way you talk  
It's the way you brighten up my life  
It's the way you hide  
Hide behind your silly lies  
It's the way you try to sing along with me  
It's the way you try to be my everything  
It's the way you try and try again_

A small smile curves its way to my lips, and I sigh in satisfaction as I put down my pen. These days, life seems brighter, better, and my heart seems enlightened by the fact that secrets no longer linger in the air. My phone buzzes, and I sigh, wondering if it is who I think it is.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:30 pm  
What kind of tree grows in your hand?_

I shake my head. He's been sending a lot of these lately, the kind of jokes that are stupid to him but hilarious for me. My fingers listlessly type a response.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
12:31 pm  
A palm tree._

I can imagine him frowning at my reply.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
12:32 pm  
How did you know?_

A chuckle slips from my mouth at his epic fail.

"Ally? Can you come down here for a second?" my dad calls from downstairs.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
12:33 pm  
Gtg, text you later._

"Coming!" I shout, putting my phone down and running quickly to the kitchen. "What's wro-"

I freeze at the sight of the woman sitting at the table. Her wavy brown hair, cheerful smile, and safari hat make my heart leap with joy.

"Mom!" I yell, running towards her and ambushing her lap, wrapping my arms tightly around her neck. I bury my face into her hair, engraving the scent of wild blue berries and perfume into my mind. "What are you doing here?"

She pulls me away to properly get a good look at my face. "I missed you too much to stay in the wild. I need to be with you during your last year of high school!" she sighed, cupping my face into her hands. I grinned.

"I missed you, too," I replied, then turned to my dad. "You knew about this?"

He shrugged his shoulders, a sheepish smile plastered onto his face. "She wanted to keep it a surprise," he chuckled. "You know your mother."

She shot him a teasing look. "I see you haven't changed, Lester," she joked. "How is Sonic Boom doing?"

"Well," he stated. "Ally takes a shift every now and then."

"Every weekend," I clarified. "Oh! Who's watching the store right now?" I panicked, getting up from her lap and making my way towards the door.

"It's closed for today, Alls," my dad answered. "_We _are all going out for lunch today."

I blinked. "But... I mean..." I stuttered, unsure of how to say this.

"Honey, just because your dad and I are separated doesn't mean we're not a family anymore," she said gently, instantly reading my mind. I smiled, nodding my head as I looped my arms through the both of theirs.

"Thanks for reminding me," I laughed, never feeling more whole than I was in this moment. My mother and father may be separate, may not be bound to one another, but they were both mine, and I felt lucky to belong to both of them.

* * *

I hadn't laughed with both of my parents in years. The passive conversations over TV dinners with my father and phone discussions with my mother could not compare to the roars that sounded from our table right now in the middle of Olive Garden.

As I dug happily into my pasta, I observed them both, the twinkle in their eyes and the fact that their cheeks were turning rosy from laughing so much. I tried to imagine what they used to be like when they were still in love, but only faint flashes of holding hands and the occasional peck on the cheek came to mind.

What marveled me was how two people could fall out of love as easily as they fell.

"Ally, sweetie, are you alright?" my mom asked. I nodded and smiled.

"I just have a lot on my mind," I murmured. "The dinner is great. Thanks, Dad."

He beamed in his seat, and my mom patted him on the shoulder. He hadn't pulled out his wallet for a fancy dinner in quite awhile. During their arguments in the past, I remember my mom yelling at how cheap he was and how he needed to learn how to be more giving. I pinched the side of my stomach to stop myself from thinking about such bad memories when the present was seemingly better.

"It's the least I could do," he replied. "You're working so hard in school. She really is." My mom let out a laugh.

"Of course she is," she sighed.

"She gets that from me," they simultaneously claimed. I cleared my throat uncomfortably as they shot one another conniving looks.

"Anyways," my dad continued, "did Ally tell you that she's going to be in play?"

She turned to look at me, her eyebrows rising higher by the minute. "I don't believe so," she said. "Alls, when did you overcome your stage fright?"

I shrugged my shoulders, shifting in my seat. "I wouldn't say _overcome_. More like..." I hesitated, searching for the right word. "...visibly moved."

They both looked at me incredulously, and I decided to interpret my phrasing in a clearer way.

"I just decided maybe it was time for me to step into the lime light. I don't want to have any regrets when I graduate high school," I explained. She nodded quickly in agreement, sending my dad a knowing look.

"That's actually one of the reasons I came back home, Alls..." she softly began. An uneasy feeling settled into my stomach and I didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"Now college is-" my dad stated, but she quickly cut him off, shooting a glare in his direction. He sheepishly grimaced. Lacing her hands together, she sent me a smile.

"We want to help you figure out where you want to go after high school, honey. We're here to guide you through it all," she said. I looked down at my plate of pasta and suddenly my appetite flushed itself down the drain. I shook my head, feeling fickle.

"Alls, college is very important. A business degree is-"

"Lester, I told you not to push the business degree," she hissed under her breath. "Whatever you want to major in is _your_ decision. We just want to-"

"_We_?" I laughed bitterly. "You mean, you and dad?"

She sighed. "Yes."

"Why now?" I asked.

"We just thought that now is a time where guidance is most needed in your life," my dad reasoned.

"You both think I need guidance now?" I spat. "I needed guidance years ago, when you two got divorced!"

"Ally," she breathed, but I continued.

"Why did you leave us?" I asked her, my voice wobbling. "Right after the divorce, you left for your spontaneous forest trip in the wilderness."

"Honey, that was the past, alright? You can't go back," my dad murmured.

"You can't go back, but you can't forget either," I replied, getting up from my chair. "I want to go home."

* * *

Later that night I crept downstairs, something I hadn't done since I was ten, to eavesdrop on their conversation in the kitchen. I listened to the kettle moving around on the stove, probably my mother making a cup of coffee. A chair scraped across the floor, which I assumed was my dad taking a seat at the table. My ears strained as I managed to catch snippets of their sentences until I was fully focused enough to hear the entire discussion.

"Did you know she was this affected by the divorce?" I heard her whisper, a small slurp which followed, probably her taking a sip of the coffee.

"No," he replied. "When you left... she was a little sad for a few days, and she missed you dearly, but I thought it was typical divorce after effects for kids."

"I feel like it's my fault," she choked. "The divorce has clearly made her traumatized for the future. Has college always been a touchy subject for her?"

A moment of silence ensured, and I imagined he was nodding his head. "She doesn't like to talk about it, not even with Austin."

She sighed. "How are those two lovebirds?" she chuckled.

"There's been some tension between them for the past month or so. Austin's dating that Hawaiian girl... what's her name..."

"Kira?" she asked. Another moment of silence, probably him nodding again.

"Yeah, her. Kira is a nice girl, but it just pained me to see Ally hurting. Lately, though, she's seemed happier, livelier. It's a relief," he sighed. I bit my lip. I really was an open book.

"Someday that boy will come to his senses," she laughed. "I think another reason she's scared for college is because of Austin."

"I know," he sighed. "Those two are inseparable. Austin doesn't like to think about being away from her either. They've both grown so close..."

I decide that this is enough eavesdropping for the night, and I crawl back up the stairs and into the safety of my bed, burying myself into the blankets and comforters. Soft footsteps head towards my room a couple minutes later and I pretend I'm asleep. A hand gently strokes my hair.

"Ally," a voice whispers, and I know it's her, but I feel too weary to open my eyes. "I know you're not really asleep."

Shoot.

I have no other choice but to drop the act and sigh in defeat. She grins and I can't help but crack a small smile.

"You know," she mumbles, "I used to do the same thing when I was your age."

I stay stubbornly silent.

"I understand if you're angry with me," she continues. "If you're angry at your father and I... it's reasonable. And it's hard to forget the past, trust me, I know. But I wish you had told me how much you were hurting."

"I didn't know how," I mumbled. "I wasn't entirely depressed but... you not being here anymore with us in the house... it wasn't the greatest feeling."

"I know, honey," she sighed, smoothing down my hair. "But I want you to know that I'm still here for you."

"I'm sorry I flipped out at the restaurant," I apologized, sitting up to hug her.

"You're my little girl," she murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around me. "It's going to be okay, I promise."

Promises are hard to keep, I want to say. But for once I decide to have faith in her words and trust that perhaps everything will fall into place the way she claims it will.

* * *

"She's back?" Austin asked the next morning as I walked into the campus. I sighed, running my fingers through my hair, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few strands fell out from stress.

"She's back," I confirmed. He was the first person I had gone to during the divorce, so it only made sense that he be the first person to know that my mother had returned. He was, after all, my best friend.

"So... is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

I wrapped my thin cardigan tighter around my shoulders. While Miami's temperature was still pretty warm, a cold breeze was beginning to flow in the mornings. "A good thing," I answered. "I missed her."

"I know you did," he replied softly, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly.

"She wants to talk about college," I stated. He froze.

"Oh."

"I think maybe it's time I start thinking about where I want to go," I said slowly, the words sounding funny as they came out of my mouth for the first time.

"Th-that's good," he stuttered, but his smile was faltering by the second. I stopped him, grabbing his arm so that he would face me.

"Hey," I said carefully. "Lighten up. Haven't you been waiting for me to talk about this?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, but... it's weird, just thinking that in six months we'll be..." He can't even finish his sentence.

"I know," I whisper, squeezing his hand. Suddenly his arms are wrapped tightly around me, catching me completely off guard. "Austin... we'll be okay." I lean back to stare into his eyes, spotting an emotion in them that I've never seen before.

Fear.

"You promise?" he teases, lending me his pinky. The doubt disappears from his eyes so quickly that I think for a moment I might have just imagined it. I roll my eyes and giggle, linking my pinky with his.

"Promise."

* * *

_**OH SNAP. Ally's mom is back! I actually wasn't planning on her return at all, the idea came to me while writing this chapter and I was like: Ooh, okay, why not? I really wanted to bring a strong mother-daughter dynamic. I think this chapter was fairly sweet, what with Austin finally doing his part for Ally, and Ally having a heart to heart with her mom. What did you guys think? Don't be afraid to leave a review and let me know how I'm doing, and to leave your opinion! Or tweet me, this option is now available as well. You guys are all SO AMAZING, I really, truly can't thank you enough. I hope you're all having a good remainder of summer, and for those of you who are already back in school, I say keep your head up and make it a good year! Oh, and thank you for all the get well wishes, I'm feeling much better. LOVE YOU GUYSSSSS.**_


	13. Chapter 13: Unreadable Expression

_***sees JAC has over 300 reviews* *screams and dances* Yup, that was me when I saw how many reviews this story has achieved! Thank you guys SO FREAKING MUCH, I know I say it all the time, but it's only because I truly mean every word. Thank. You. For taking the time to read this story and leave a comment, a thought, an opinion, a compliment, whatever you guys leave always puts a smile on my face! Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I've had LINK training at my school, which are upperclassmen (I'm FINALLY a senior) who get to guide certain groups of freshman around the campus and play games with them during their orientation and stuff like that. Who watched the **__**Teen Choice Awards**__**? Lea Michele's speech was beautiful and it really reminded me that tomorrow is never promised. Hold onto your loved ones tightly and enjoy every moment with them. And if you haven't heard it yet, listen to "Pass Me By" by R5, I literally stayed up till 1 in the morning listening to it as soon as it released and lay on my kitchen floor screaming. Alright! Here is Chapter 13...**_

* * *

"I'm nervous," I whispered. My hands felt clammy as I clutched onto my smooth pink eraser, No. 2 pencils, and calculator. Not only that, but my stomach was churning as well, and not with butterflies.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Austin asked. I nodded. "Did you get a good night's sleep?" Again, I nodded. "Is this your first time taking the SAT?"

I gulped, nodding. He sighed, suddenly taking both of my hands in his. I stopped breathing.

"Ally, you are the most intelligent person I know," he said. "You are going to pass this with flying colors. Trust me."

I managed a small smile, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulder for the remainder of the time we waited outside the classroom door. I tried yawning and shifting around to remove it, but he wouldn't budge. I looked up at him with curious eyes, but he seemed tired himself, his eyes holding heavy bags.

"How about you, mister, did you get any sleep?" I asked, poking him in the ribs. He chuckled, finally withdrawing his grasp.

"Somewhat," he sighed. I folded my arms, waiting for him to continue. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "_Somewhat,_" I mimicked, lowering my voice. He laughed. "What's keeping you up at night, Austin Moon?"

He gulped, gripping the hem of his shirt nervously. "Nothing," he quickly replied. "Just this."

"This is your third time taking the SAT," I deadpanned.

"I'm trying to perfect my score," he reasoned, but I could catch his anxious tone as he tried to cover up whatever lie he was unsuccessfully mastering.

"Fine, don't tell me," I teased. A frazzled woman carrying pamphlets and booklets arrived, a coffee held unsteadily in one hand. Austin briskly stepped forward and took the beverage out of her hand, and she shot him a grateful smile. He returned it with his signature grin. I stifled a giggle at how easily he had already managed to get on the teacher's good side. As soon as she opened the classroom door, I stood awkwardly outside, feeling hesitant about entering.

What if I didn't get a good score? Schools like Berkeley and Stanford expected top notch scores, higher than a 1700- maybe even an 1800.

What if I ran out of time? Filling in bubbles were always a dreadful task, I much preferred circling or even check marking.

What if we had to use No. _3 _pencils?

"Ally," Austin said softly. I slowly looked up at him, chewing restlessly on my lip. He held out a hand. "Come on."

I thankfully took it.

* * *

"We're done!" Austin sighed in success. I nodded, stretching my arms and shifting from side to side to stretch my back as well. The test had been fairly moderate, with the occasional difficult math question here and there, but my trusty calculator had come in hand and rescued me during moments of possible panic. I even had the pleasure of finishing early every couple of sections, and I'd use this time to take peeks at Austin.

A lot had happened these past couple of weeks. The butterflies were slowly beginning to drain away, what with Austin being an amazing friend and filling in the void that had encased my heart. In some weird reverse psychology sort of way...

I think I was actually getting over the guy.

It was hard to believe, and I tried searching for traces of left behind feelings as I observed his face while taking the exam. I noticed that he scrunched his eyebrows and frowned a lot when he came across a hard question, and how relieved his face appeared when he finally solved it. His hair hung just above those eyes that usually were the cause of my butterflies, but lately they were just _eyes, _nothing too special.

"We're going to celebrate, right?" I asked, grinning as we walked towards the parking lot, stopping at Shelby. He opened my door for me, a gesture that caught me by surprise.

"Of course," he said softly. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.

"Alright, Mr. Nice Guy," I teased, getting into the vehicle. He shot me a mischievous look as he took his place behind the wheel, rolling our windows down and letting the warm breeze flow through. "Where exactly are you taking me?"

He started mindlessly humming a tune that I'd heard from a commercial on TV, and I folded my arms, pouting a bit.

"Austin," I tried again, but he wouldn't reply. The same mysterious glisten in his eyes never left as we silently drove down the road. I looked out the window, watching cars whiz by and skims of blue in the sky. My brain was racing with different theories on where he could possibly be taking me.

Pancake Central.

His house.

The beach.

We stopped in the middle of absolutely nowhere, an area that I was not expecting at all. I felt slight panic shoot through my veins. He must have noticed because he took one look at my face and burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

"You don't remember this place?" he asked, gasping for air as the laughter died down. I shook my head, and he rose his eye brows playfully. "Well get out of the car and you'll see." He stepped out and when he realized I hadn't budged, he rolled his eyes and carried me out, hauling me over one shoulder so that I was practically dangling off of him.

"Austin!" I yelled furiously. "Put me down!"

"Chill, we're almost there," he reasoned. I sighed, blowing the pieces of hair that were landing in my face as he continued to walk to God knows _where_.

"Just hurry up," I mumbled. "I don't like being draped on your shoulder." What surprised me when I said this was that I actually meant it. The Old Ally would have gotten major butterflies over being carried by Austin, but New Ally held a different opinion. We walked for a few more minutes until he stopped, carefully placing me back down onto the ground. I straightened my shirt, brushing the hair out of my eyes and looked up. Time froze, and Austin looked at me, eagerly smiling.

"Do you remember now?" he asked.

"Is this...?" I mumbled.

"Yup," he said. I walked towards the small fort of now loose wooden boards and a curtain for a make shift door. My hands ran along the surface of the fort as my mind flashed back a simpler time.

_"Austin, I don't want to do this," I pouted, wiggling my loose tooth with an index finger. _

_"Do you want the tooth fairy to come?" he questioned. I nodded hopefully. "Then you have to take it out already!"_

_"But... but what if it bleeds?" I stammered, my eyes filling with tears. He shook his head. _

_"It won't," he insisted, handing me the apple. "C'mon. Eat it." _

_I took it carefully, then handed it back to him quickly. "I can't!" I exclaimed. He sighed, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. _

_"But Ally," he whispered. "We're in the fort." Our eyes looked around at the shelves filled with miscellaneous magical items, ranging from snow globes to mismatching puzzle pieces. "Everything is better in the fort, remember?" _

_My tongue wiggled the tooth as I nodded, fiddling with my dress. "I guess," I murmured. He handed me the apple, and I gulped, slowly moving it towards my mouth and taking a blissful crunch. I waited for ruthless pain but merely felt a small pinch, and as I pulled the apple away, I gasped. My tooth had stuck onto the apple, and I felt my tongue now pushing against an empty space. "It worked!"_

_He smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "I told you so," he said. "Everything is better in the fort."_

_I giggled. "Everything is better in the fort," I repeated, looking at the apple in awe. _

"We found this place when we were six," I said, fondly remembering our adventures in the tiny hiding spot away from the world. "How did you find it again?"

He sent me a sheepish smile. "I asked my mom if she still remembered where it was, and she said she did since she always had to pick us up from here."

We slowly went inside, having to hunch over to actually enter. I suddenly felt too big, too old for a silly little fort, but when I locked eyes with the familiar snow globes I couldn't help but feel young again. The snow globes were dusty now, and I blew them off, peering through the glass.

"They're like little worlds-"

"Trapped inside a mirror," we ended up saying simultaneously. I cocked my head to one side.

"Did I say that a lot whenever we were in here?" I asked.

"Almost every time," he chuckled, taking a seat on the ground as I sat down next to him. Stillness surrounded us as bits of my childhood came back to me in quick flashes. I was dying to ask him, but I hoped he would bring it up first.

"Do you know why I brought you here?"

_There it is, _I thought. I bit my lip, shaking my head.

"Because this is where I realized that you were my best friend," he simply stated. I shot him a confused look.

"I don't understand..." I said.

He sighed. "Whenever we were in here, it's like nothing else mattered. Like all I needed was this," he sighed, pointing to the both of us. He gulped, opening his mouth and then closing it. I blinked.

"You know you can tell me anything," I said softly, sending him a warm smile. I couldn't read his face, there were too many emotions scattered on it, flitting fleetingly across his eyes and dancing along his cheeks. He almost looked...

_nervous_.

"I think..." he gulped, but then the sound of a ukulele playing made me jump in my seat. He sighed frustratingly, reaching inside his pocket to answer the call. "Hello?"

I heard a girl's voice on the other end, obviously Kira, but for once the green monster was not present.

"Tomorrow?" Austin asked into the speaker, a smile spreading onto his face. "That's awesome! Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. Tell him I'm super psyched! Alright, bye."

"Kira?" I asked. His smile faltered a bit and I sighed. "Austin, it's fine. Stop doing that."

"Doing what?" he asked. My eyes narrowed at him.

"You know what," I bluntly said, which for some strange reason made him squirm in his seat. "Why did she call?"

"Jimmy wants to bring me into the studio tomorrow," he said. "Maybe start recording some tracks."

The air instantly lightened. "Austin, that's great!" I squealed, then stopped. "Why do you seem not excited?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand up in different directions. "I don't know... I guess I'm just nervous, that's all."

"But this is your _dream_," I reminded him, leaning in to smooth down his hair into its proper position. "It's finally happening. Don't you want that?"

He looked up at me, and there was that same fear in his eyes that I'd seen before. "Can you come with me?"

I gaped at him. "_Seriously_?" I asked, grinning. He nodded. "Does balsa wood make a good bird feeder?"

"What?" he asked, confused, but I was too busy clapping my hands in excitement.

"It does!" I exclaimed, wrapping him into a giant bear hug. He chuckled before answering.

"I need you to be there with me," he mumbled and I waited again for the butterflies to appear.

They didn't.

* * *

I scanned through my script during lunch for the play when a figure settled itself onto my shoulder. I sighed.

"Austin, come on, I'm reviewing," I groaned before turning around and feeling my face heat up. "Elliot."

He smiled. "No, my name is Austin apparently," he teased, taking a seat next to me.

I hung my head guiltily. "Sorry," I mumbled.

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's cool. You're in love with the guy so I can't blame you."

"Actually," I declared, sitting up taller. "I think I'm getting over him."

His face lit up at this sudden statement. "Really?" he asked, leaning into me. I giggled.

"Woah there, lover boy, that doesn't mean you can do _that _again!" I exclaimed, but a small flutter in my heart soared. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.

"Someday," he muttered, and I rolled at my eyes. He nodded his head towards my script. "Practicing?"

"Practice makes perfect," I reasoned, and he chuckled, his eyes twinkling.

"Okay. Let's practice then... _without _the script," he said, taking the packet out of my hands and placing it behind his back.

"Elliot-"

"Scene Seven, go!" he yelled, and I bit my lip, then opened my mouth.

"_I tried to tell you,__" _I said.

"_You should have tried harder. I could have helped you,_" he replied smoothly.

"_They were blackmailing my father. I couldn't tell anyone!_" I exclaimed, concentrating carefully.

"_It doesn't matter anymore_," he said, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the way his voice softened for that line. "_Even when you were mute, nothing else mattered._"

The words made me think about what Austin had said the other day inside the fort. I shook my head, racking my brain for the next line.

"_The only thing that matters to me is us,_" I murmured, then cleared my throat, breaking character. "And then we're supposed to... you know..."

He smirked, slowly inching his way towards me as his eyes flickered down to my lips. "Kiss?" he offered, finishing my sentence. I felt myself falling into his eyes, and I wondered for a moment what would happen if I actually _let _him kiss me. He'd done it once before, but it had been forcefully. How would it feel if my second kiss actually felt like my first? I found myself leaning in as well, the people around us in the cafeteria, fading away.

"Ally!" a voice shouted. I quickly pulled back and looked up in surprise at Austin, who was not resembling a happy camper at the moment.

"Austin," I replied. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he muttered, his eyes becoming steel as he turned to face Elliot. "You."

"And you," Elliot snapped. "We were rehearsing for the play."

"It didn't _look _like rehearsing," Austin replied. Elliot sent him a smug smile and opened his mouth to throw back a rude retort, but I kicked his foot underneath the table. He wearily looked at me but thankfully kept his mouth clamped shut.

"Did you need anything, Austin?" I asked, trying to decipher the strange emotion itching underneath my skin. A couple seconds ticked by until I surprisingly realized it was _annoyance. _Was I annoyed at Austin for interrupting the possible kiss? If I was, what did that even mean?

"Just wanted to remind you that we're heading to the studio after school," Austin said, still sending daggers at Elliot. I got up from my seat and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. His eyes locked with mine as he immediately relaxed under my grip. I softly smiled.

"I remembered," I chuckled. "But thanks for the reminder."

"Studio? You going to record a song or something?" Elliot joked.

"Actually," Austin hissed. "Yes, I am. Starr Records, as a matter of fact."

Elliot's eyes astonishingly filled with interest. "I've gotta admit, Moon, I'm impressed," Elliot admitted. "Mind if I come with?"

"_Yes,_" Austin said, turning to look at me with wide eyes.

"No, it's fine, Elliot," I replied sweetly. "Hold on just one second." I grabbed Austin's arm and pulled him to the side. "He's coming."

"But _why_?" Austin whined.

"Because! Because..." I looked down at my shoes. "I like him."

There was silence for a moment and I took a peek at his expression, which was completely blank.

"Oh," he finally said.

"Yup," I replied awkwardly. He scratched the back of his head, then stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Well... I-I guess he can come then," he stammered. I smiled.

"Really?" I asked. He sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Anything for my best friend," he said, grinning. There was something in his eyes that I couldn't quite read, but I decided to brush it away. My heart was too busy overflowing.

* * *

"Ally!" Jimmy cried, rushing towards me and enveloping me into a tight hug. I wrapped my arms tightly around him. "How have you been?"

I pulled away, grinning. "Never been better, actually!" I exclaimed, and felt relieved that I was actually telling the truth and not bottling everything up for once.

"You're so grown up now. It makes me feel old," Jimmy chuckled, adjusting his glasses.

"I'm a big fan of your work, Jimmy," Elliot piped up, offering a hand to shake. Jimmy gladly took it.

"Thank you," he replied, turning to Austin. "And Austin Moon, my new client."

"That's me," Austin teased, and we all laughed. "I'm psyched to start recording."

"Good, because that's what my business needs right now, someone who's eager to jump in head first. Do you like my studio?" he asked. My eyes traveled the room, landing on the board with its many levers and buttons, as well as the recording room itself, the mic and headphones calling my name until I reminded myself that I was here to support _Austin_. Platinum records lined the walls as I scanned those as well, fascinated by the many big stars Jimmy had already worked with.

"I love it," Austin and I said simultaneously. Jimmy laughed.

"Best friends, I'm assuming?" he asked, and I felt myself blush.

"Since kindergarten," I answered. Jimmy nodded his head wistfully.

"Well, Austin, you are _very_ lucky to have a best friend like Ally. Hold onto her," Jimmy sternly said.

"I will," Austin promised, his eyes turning to look at mine. There was that unreadable expression again. I really needed to ask my Psychology teacher about that.

"Austin!" a voice cheerfully shouted, and Kira ran towards Austin at full speed, lacing their fingers together. "I see you've met my dad."

"He's awesome, just like you said," Austin replied, but his eyes were still focused on me.

"You're already my boyfriend, Austin, you don't need to suck up," Kira teased, giggling.

"Is she always this clingy to him?" Elliot whispered in my ear, and I tried to stifle my laughter.

"Are you ready to get started, Austin?" Jimmy asked. Austin nodded.

"Can I just do something first?" he asked. Kira looked at him questioningly, and Jimmy nodded. I watched him with curious eyes as he walked towards Elliot, grabbing him by the arm and dragging him to a corner. Austin's mouth began to move very fast and harshly, and Elliot's did as well. The intense aura around them was unmistakeable, and I was dying to know just what they could possibly be talking about. Then Elliot said something that made Austin's face soften, and then the two shook hands.

They _shook hands. _

Austin walked into the recording room and Elliot returned to my side.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"Nothing," he whispered. As soon as Austin put on those headphones, as soon as he took a breath, as soon as the pure vocal sound escaped from his throat, the entire room was filled with his voice. I observed the way his face changed as he put his all into the song, the way his eyes would occasionally flicker down to the lyrics on the sheet stand in front of him. By the end, I found myself sniffling as well as my eyes watering. Austin looked up at me, smiling, then quickly rushed out of the room and jogged towards me. Everyone was staring at me with careful eyes.

"Ally? What's wrong?" Austin asked. A hiccup escaped my throat as I sniffled once more.

"I'm just so proud of you," I blubbered. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kira smile a bit and Austin broke into a bashful grin as he handed me a tissue. Wanting your best friend to love you?

Risky.

Being proud of your best friend?

Priceless.

* * *

_**IMPORTANT:**__** School is starting very soon for me, so during that time I may not be able to update as frequently but I am still going to update whenever I get the time! I really love writing this story, so I'm definitely not going to stop! Anywho, feel free to leave me a review or tweet me about what your guys' thoughts on this chapter! I listened to "Pass Me By" by R5 and "Can We Dance" by The Vamps while writing this, so go listen to those two awesome songs! Also, for any Raura fans, did you guys see Laura's interview on what she thought about Raura? MOUNTAINS. That's all I have to say. I LOVE YOU GUYS SOOO MUCH! You all inspire me and I couldn't have made it this far without you. My last few words for this little author's note are: #RockyTwerkTeam #ThatGuyBehindZayn. If you get it, hopefully you're laughing right now. If not... well... that's okay.**_


	14. Chapter 14: Baby Butterfly

_**I love you guys so much, I am dead serious too. Thank you so much to each and every one of you that has reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. The time you guys take to read every new chapter whenever this story updates is just unbelievable to me. Plus you guys are just as nice on Twitter with your sweet tweets so thank you for that as well! Okay. On a less cheesy note, who's already pre-ordered R5's Louder album on iTunes?! I haven't because I'm completely broke at the moment, but I'm going to buy their album THE DAY it comes out because I really am that excited for this album that we've all anxiously been awaiting. Second, who else is so proud of Laura and Ross's recent major milestones? Laura is now a Trick or Treat UNICEF ambassador, and Ross has finally reached 1 million followers on Twitter! There goes my chances of ever getting him to notice me... Maybe someday! Alright, let's get started with this chapter. Things are going to get very interesting...**_

* * *

"You look like a person that just got out of bed _and _has a fever," Elliot snorted. I folded my arms, frowning at him. Dress rehearsals were now beginning this week. If my schedule had been packed before, it was even more occupied now. Mrs. Jefferson not only wanted us to gather facts on our research projects for AP Psychology, but she also wanted us to prepare a mid-term presentation on our topic. Public speaking was just _not _my thing. I was already worried for the outcome of the play. It was simple to act in rehearsals, but once show time comes around...

What if I freeze up?

"Well at least I don't look like a scary motorcycle man," I shot back, smirking. He narrowed his eyes at me, fidgeting with his leather jacket and dark jeans. "Miss Lu sure is putting quite the twist on The Little Mermaid."

I looked down at my attire: a button up collar shirt paired with a plaid skirt, knee high socks, and orthopedic shoes that bothered my feet more than my wedges did, and _those _had a platform.

"Well Ariel is supposed to be this shy high school girl, remember?" Elliot reminded me. I sighed, taking a seat next to him on the edge of the stage.

"And Eric is supposed to be this mysterious high school boy who secretly has a soft side, remember?" I asked, teasing him with a little word play. A smile instantly grew on his face, and I felt my heart warm up a bit. My feelings for Elliot seemed to be... _changing. _At first, I had despised him completely, not wanting to get wrapped around his finger because that's what he did- he used girls and then quickly disposed of them. But once I got to know him...

He could be sweet and funny and smart, and while he didn't have those familiar brown eyes and mop of blonde hair, he was just as much. Trish labeled it as a "cliche crush." I supposed she was right. Me growing feelings for hot shot, Mr. Popular Elliot? Oh yeah.

That really does sound like just another cliche.

"So I was thinking that we could run lines this weekend?" Elliot asked, scooting closer to me. I let him.

"Sure," I grinned. "Just tell me the time and place."

"How about my place?" he asked, his eyes twinkling. "No one's going to be home."

My stomach dropped. The only uneasy thing about Elliot was that his cocky side would occasionally come out, a trait that I didn't exactly like about him. I shot him a look and he deflated. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Let's try this again," I said. "How about we rehearse at _my _place? My mom will be home."

"What about your dad?" he asked. I cleared my throat. Dad had been taking a lot of hours at Sonic Boom lately, and while he had said that it was necessary for him to because business was booming (why he chooses to use these puns, I'm still unsure of), I was positive it was just another petty excuse to stay out of the house and away from Mom.

They got along well... But you could tell that things never always felt completely at ease.

"He has work," I quickly responded. "So Saturday then? Maybe around lunch time? My mom can make us something to eat."

"That'd be great," Elliot sighed, then wrapped an arm around me. "She'll totally approve of me."

I rolled my eyes, removing his arm from my shoulder. "We'll see about that."

* * *

I have cleaned my room and made sure that all my stuffed animals are stuffed inside my closet because... would a boy want to know that a girl has stuffed animals in her room?

But then again, Austin's been in my room a million times, and he's never cared. I hesitate, then pull them back out of the closet, neatly aligning them in a row on my bed. Then I look at the layout, bite my lip, and stuff them all back in the closet.

"Ally?" a voice asks, and I scream and turn around from panic. I put a hand to my chest in relief.

"Mom! God, you scared me. Is he here?" I asked. She folded her arms, an amused smile playing onto her face.

"What is this boy's name again?" she mused.

"Elliot," I mumbled, tucking a chair into its place by my desk. I start fluffing my pillows.

"And he's your love interest in the play?"

"Yep," I reply again, this time stopping in front of a mirror to fix a few stray strands of hair, the loose curls and highlights framing my face nicely.

"Do you have a crush on this boy?"

I slowly turned around, my ears turning pink, then collapsed onto the bed, covering my face with my hands. "Is it that obvious?" I groaned. I felt her sit next to me, and she uncovered my face and placed her own hands around it.

"Sweetie, it's okay to have feelings for someone other than Austin," she said. I bit my lip.

"Is it?" I asked. "I don't know, I just... It feels _weird_. I've liked Austin for so long now..."

"I know, honey, but all I can tell you is that at the end of the day," she lightly put a hand against my chest, pointing to the most important organ of my body, "your heart knows what's best for you."

I softly smile, engraving these words into my brain. "Thanks Mom," I sigh, leaning in to hug her. The doorbell rings. "Oh my God, he's here! Don't embarrass me, okay?"

"Well, that mother-daughter moment was nice while it lasted," she deadpanned, watching me run downstairs to answer the door. My hand hung above the doorknob for a few moments.

_You can do this, _I thought to myself. I took a deep breath, plastered a smile onto my face, and opened the door.

"Elli-" My words froze and my stomach dropped. "_Austin_?"

There he stood before me, in a gray and white striped tee and jeans, holding a notebook and a binder.

"Hey, Ally," he said cheerfully. "Are you ready?" He stepped inside, already heading for the kitchen table. I blinked in confusion.

"Ready for what?" I asked.

He blankly stared at me before answering, then he waved his Math notebook in front of me. "To help me study for my big test next week, remember? You said you'd tutor me today."

I racked my brain for the memory, then face palmed myself, _literally. _"Oh crap, that's right," I groaned. "I forgot, I'm sorry."

He frowned. "Oh. Well do you think you could still help me? I mean, I'm already here."

"Hi Elliot, it's nice to- you're not Elliot," my mother suddenly said, tripping over her words. She began to laugh, very loudly, I might add. "Austin, what are you doing here?" She walked over to hug him, and his arms wrapped around her tightly. I waited for his face to twist in realization at the name she'd just mentioned.

"_Elliot_?" Austin asked. I could almost imagine the wheels in his head turning, and I felt my stomach clench uneasily. He looked at me, his eyes raging. "Is he coming here? _Today_?"

My mom bit her lip guiltily, slowly backing away to leave us alone.

I weakly nodded. "Um... yeah. We're running lines... for the play."

The doorbell rang. Perfect timing. I looked at Austin, dread filling my entire body. He finally sighed.

"Go answer it," he muttered, taking a seat at the kitchen table. I thankfully smiled, jogging towards the door and swinging it open.

"Elliot," I sighed in relief.

"Who else would it be?" he teased, sending me that famous grin of his.

_Oh you know, a blonde boy named after Texas, maybe, _I dimly thought.

"Ally, your mom's making cookies!" Austin yelled happily, a smirk settling on his face as soon as he came into contact with Elliot. "Oh, hello there."

I wanted to run to my room and hide under the covers before a World War III broke out, but nothing could be done now. I almost felt as if I were watching a show down, standing in between the both of them.

Elliot frowned. "What are _you _doing here?" he snapped.

"_I'm _here so Ally can tutor me. I think the better question is what are _you _doing here?" Austin shot back. Elliot glared.

"I'm here to run lines with my leading lady," Elliot said, sending me a small smile. I sent a shaky smile back. Suddenly, my savior arrived, holding a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies with an apron tied around her back and a smile planted on her face.

"Who wants some cookies?" Mom asked.

* * *

"These cookies are great, Mrs. Dawson," Elliot complimented. Mom's face softened.

"It's _Ms. _Dawson now, Elliot, but thank you," she replied. Elliot shot me an uncomfortable look along the lines of _why-didn't-you-tell-me-your-parents-were-divorced_. I didn't return the look.

"She makes the best cookies, especially during Christmas!" Austin suddenly exclaimed, leaning comfortably back in his chair. "Remember when Mr. Dawson tried helping you?"

Mom burst into laughter, her smile reaching all the way up to her eyes. "He nearly burned down the house! I never put him in charge of the oven ever again," she recalled. I caught Austin shoot Elliot a triumphant look, and a light bulb went off above my head.

_Austin: 1_

_Elliot: 0_

"So, Austin, you need help with Math?" she asked him, walking over to the sink to rinse her hands.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I really need to ace this upcoming test or else my parents are going to ground me," he sighed, sulking.

"What's making you not study?" she asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Ally didn't tell you?" he said in surprise, looking over at me. I sent him a sheepish smile and turned to her.

"He's working with Starr Records right now," I explained, and her face lit up instantly.

"Oh, Austin, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together in delight. "You were always putting on little concerts for us when you were younger."

_Austin: 2_

_Elliot: 0_

She turned to Elliot. "How about you, Elliot? What is it like acting with my little girl?" she asked.

"Mom," I groaned, cringing at the words _little girl_.

Elliot chuckled, and Austin glowered that the subject had suddenly shifted to the enemy. "She is such an amazing actress. She really does deserve the lead role," he said, taking another bite of his cookie.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear," she gushed in relief.

_Austin: 2_

_Elliot: 1_

"What are you planning to do after high school?" she asked, and I shot her a look. It was like she was grilling him right in front of me. Soon she'd be asking for his birth certificate and if he had a hidden criminal record.

"Probably heading to Standford and studying up to get a degree in medicine," Elliot replied. Austin locked eyes with me, sending me a _Mr.-Perfect-my-ass _look.

Mom's eyebrows rose, clearly impressed.

_Austin: 2_

_Elliot: 2_

"And what about you, Austin?" she asked, pausing for a moment to send me mischievous look. My jaw dropped. She was doing this on _purpose_! "What are you planning to do after high school?"

There was silence for a moment, and I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat, praying that he would open his mouth and say something smart, like lawyer or dentist. But his answer surprised me.

"Anywhere, as long as I'm with Ally."

I felt my face heat up, and Elliot cleared his throat. I looked at my mother, expecting her face to be in shock or uneasiness, but instead she appeared calm and almost... _happy_.

And then I felt it.

The tiniest twinge of a small baby butterfly somewhere in my stomach. I gulped, lifting my lashes to peek at Austin, who was smiling softly at me. What exactly did he mean? That he wanted to go to the same college as me? Or that he wanted to go to the same college with me because he... because he maybe...

"We have to rehearse," Elliot suddenly stated, breaking the silence that Austin's words had created. Austin nodded, getting up from his chair.

"Do you need help with anything, Ms. Dawson?" he asked. She nodded, murmuring something about laundry, and the two disappeared down the hall, leaving Elliot and I alone in the kitchen. I opened my mouth to speak but no words left my mouth, so I shut it.

"Don't say it," Elliot groaned, flipping through the script.

I blinked. "Say what?"

He looked up at me, sighing and giving me a small smile. "He won."

* * *

"Thanks for the cookies," Elliot said as we stood near the open door. I shrugged my shoulders, smiling.

"Thank my mom," I replied, listening to the laughter echoing down the hallway as her and Austin talked about who _knows _what.

"I think I'll pass," Elliot said softly. I looked down at my shoes before opening my mouth.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. I looked up in surprise when he chuckled. "You're not mad?"

"Ally, why would I be mad?" he asked, stuffing one hand in his pocket. "Coming here just proved even more that I was right."

I felt my face scrunch up in confusion. "Right? Right about what?" I asked. He leaned in for a quick hug before exiting, heading for his car.

"Bye Ally," he said. I stared, watching him walk off into the distance.

"Elliot! Elliot, what were you right about?" I called, but he drove away. I stood there for awhile, dumbfounded, but the wind was whipping through me and my thin tee so I shut the door. I suddenly felt exhausted.

Austin had won.

But what had he won exactly? I sighed, walking down the hallway and stopping just outside Mom's bedroom door.

"Ms. Dawson, can I ask you something?" I heard Austin say, making me stop in my tracks. I hid behind a wall, making sure to listen carefully. I had listened to too many unfinished conversations. It was about time that I get answers, damn it.

"Of course," she said, and I could almost imagine her face, as if she were expecting this moment.

"I'm dating Kira," he stated, and I folded my arms, rolling my eyes.

_Tell me something I don't know, _I thought.

"Yes, Ally told me," I heard her say, and then I heard a soft thump, then another one. I assumed she was folding clothes and laying them out on the bed in a pile. "How is Kira?"

"She's great," Austin answered, and for some strange reason I felt my heart wilt a bit. "But..."

My ears perked up at the _but_.

"But...?" she asked him. The thumping stopped. She was probably giving him her full attention now.

"I think I like someone else," he blurted, and my eyes widened. Austin didn't love Kira anymore?

Then who...?

Maybe it was...

My ears strained themselves, trying to catch onto every word.

"That is quite the dilemma," she sighed. "What is this other girl like?"

_Never mind what, I want to know who, _my thoughts screamed.

"She's really smart," Austin said, his tone growing soft. "She's a little clumsy, too."

I racked my brain. Am I clumsy?

"She can make me laugh, and I can talk to her about anything," he continued. "The only problem is..."

He stopped for a moment, and I nearly wanted to strangle him and beg him to keep going.

"You messed up," my mom said, filling in his sentence.

"How did you know?" he asked, clearly in awe. I had to cover my mouth to keep myself from giggling.

"Everyone makes mistakes," she chuckled. "Mr. Dawson made a lot of those. But do you know why I married him?"

"Because he promised he wouldn't make any more?" Austin guessed, and I smiled because that was my guess as well.

"No," she replied. "I married him because I loved him."

I blinked and let this sink in.

"Because you loved him?" he asked in confusion. "But then why did you...?"

"I divorced him," she sighed, "because I loved him, as well."

My head was spinning. How did any of this make any sense at all?

"How can you let go of someone if you love them?" he asked.

"You love them enough to know that that emotion is enough to let them go," she answered.

_Huh? _I thought.

"Huh?" Austin echoed.

"If you really love someone, and I'm not talking about puppy love but _real _love, it's not going to be perfect. You're going to make lots of mistakes. It's how you fight for them that matters the most," she said.

"I still don't understand," Austin admitted, and to be honest, neither did I. If Mom still loved Dad, why did she not fix it? "Why didn't you try to fix things?"

"Because he didn't fight for me," she said. "Separation was the best thing for us. I don't regret filing the divorce. So Austin, if you love this other girl, then don't just _fix _the problem. _Fight _for her."

"What if she's too angry with me? What if I get rejected?" he questioned.

"You'll never know if you don't try," she reasoned. "And in all honesty," she lowered her voice, "I'm Team Austin."

I could almost imagine his face turning red. "Thanks, Ms. Dawson," he laughed. "I know what I have to do."

"I hope you do, because I don't think Ally can take any more heartache," she said, the thumping noise returning as she continued to fold clothes. My mouth fell open and I felt my heart race.

"What?" he sputtered, and I stepped away from the door, in a complete daze as I carefully walked to my room, making sure not to make any noise as I shut the door. I flopped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. If I was the girl that Austin was talking about then...

Austin liked me.

Austin had feelings for me.

Austin was going to tell me that he liked me.

But when?

Now?

Later?

When we graduated?

But the real question was: Did I still _want _him to love me?

* * *

I felt someone tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and I felt my eyelids slowly open. I quickly sat up straight when I realized who it was.

"Austin," I gasped, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Sorry, have you been waiting there long? I must've fallen asleep."

He chuckled. "Not too long," he said. Then I remembered the conversation that I had just overheard, and my heart beat quickened. "Did rehearsing with Elliot run smoothly?"

I nodded. "We didn't even use the script at all."

"That's great."

Awkward silence.

"So what did you talk to my mom about?" I asked nonchalantly, enjoying the way his eyes widened and how the tips of his ears reddened.

"Notmuchwhyyoudidn'theardidyoubeca-"

"_Woah, _slow down!" I exclaimed, giggling. "No, I didn't hear anything."

I was getting better at lying.

_Oh no, _I dreadfully thought.

His shoulders sagged in relief. "Okay, good," he sighed. "I was just asking her for relationship advice."

"Oh really?" I asked, biting my lip nervously. "For... for who?"

Austin looked at me for a long time. "You promise you won't laugh at me?" he asked.

I broke out into a grin. "Austin, of course I won't laugh," I said, leaning forward eagerly.

Was this really happening?

"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "It's Cassidy."

I grinned. "Austin, I-" I paused. "Wait, _who_?"

"This girl in my Math class," he said.

I stared at him for a long time. He was lying, right? _Right_?

"Oh," was all that left my mouth.

"Well, I should go!" he exclaimed, getting up and hugging me tightly. I sat on my bed, not bothering to get up and watch him make his way out. It wasn't until he left that I numbly walked towards my mother's bedroom.

"Mom?" I croaked.

"He's lying, Alls," she said, looking up at me smiling. My mouth fell open in surprise as I screamed, running up to her, embracing her tightly.

"Are you sure?" I asked, pulling away from her and eying her curiously. She laughed.

"I told him to lie right after you stopped eavesdropping," she answered, winking. My jaw dropped.

"You _knew _I was eavesdropping?" I giggled. She rolled her eyes.

"You're my daughter," she scoffed. "I know you too well. Now come on, help me with these clothes."

As we folded in comfortable silence for a few minutes, I asked the question that was tugging at my heart strings.

"What do I do now?" I asked. She looked up and smiled at me.

"You wait."

* * *

_**YEEEEE Austin likes Allyyyy, Austin likes Allyyyy! I'm dancing around happily at the moment, even though I'm the one writing the story, I feel all happy inside at the moment because of this. What do you guys think? Leave me a review or Tweet me telling me how you felt about this chapter, how you think Austin's going to confess, and what you think is going to happen next. I FREAKING LOVE YOU GUYS WITH A BURNING PASSION and I have school next Monday, excuse me while I die in a corner. **_


	15. Chapter 15: Someday

_**First off: I apologize for not updating in what seems like forever and probably is like forever! School has started once again. The first week of senior year can honestly be summed up in three not so great words: hungry, cranky, tired. I don't know what it is! Guess I'm just stressed about applying for colleges and the SATs and stuff. However I am actually taking AP Psychology (like Ally) and we have this Sleep/Dream Project right now where we're basically supposed to write down what we dream about every night until October. That should be interesting, right? Also, I went to one of my best friend's birthday parties yesterday, so that was fun since I really needed some de-stressing time. But anywho, I just want to thank you guys SO MUCH for making this reach over 400 reviews! It is absolutely amazing, and your guys' dedication to reviewing and just reading in general is what inspires and drives me to continue this story. A lot of questions are answered in this chapter, you'll see what I mean! OH YEAH, AND WHO HAS SEEN THE PASS ME BY MUSIC VIDEO, I CAN'T EVEN. Okay, continuing...**_

* * *

"He said _what_?" Trish hissed during AP Psychology. My eyes widened at how loud that "hiss" actually was by the fact that half the students in the classroom were staring at us incredulously. I leaned in closer to her.

"He said that he's over Kira," I whispered, biting my lip guiltily.

"Ally, this is great! Isn't this what you've been waiting for?" she asked eagerly, her face radiating.

I felt my shoulders shrug, then slump. "I guess, but... I don't know, Trish. It doesn't feel right."

I sighed, tapping my pen against our notebook, which was now in fact chalk full with quite a lot of information on platonic friendships. Our first presentation of analysis was coming up, so we had been practicing what to say during the class period. Lately, though, it'd been hard to focus.

Sure, this was the moment that I'd been waiting for ever since I was a little girl. The moment when Austin would finally open his eyes and realize that I had been in front of him all along. The moment when I would suddenly become his perfect girl, when I would become the kind of girl he wanted to be with.

But a lot of things have changed since then.

Not only has the New Ally somewhat gotten over her stage fright, but she's also changed as a person itself. I'm not the same girl anymore. Somewhere along the way of getting a new hair style and trying new things, something inside me has changed. And maybe it's something cheesy like my spirit, or maybe it's just my perspective on life in general, but I've realized that...

I want to be loved for me, exactly the way I am, quirks and all. And I'm not about to conform and become something entirely different because of one single boy, no matter how special he may be to my heart.

"If he's jealous, then he's willing to work for it," Trish stated. "Simple as that."

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt," I mumbled. "Especially Kira."

Trish snorted, rolling her eyes. "Why not? Friendly reminder: she hasn't exactly been the _bestest_ friend towards you."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I should do the same to her. I just wish things would fall into place, but now it seems like all the puzzle pieces are trying too hard to fit into one another."

She shot me an odd look. "Your analogies confuse me," she chuckled. "But I see where you're coming from." She pondered my words for a moment, and then I immediately saw the light bulb above her head go off. "Here's an analogy for you: if you want to eat candy, go on a diet."

I blinked. "_What_?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I'm saying: if Austin tries to rush things, then don't oblige or give in. You're a different person now, Ally, don't think I haven't noticed. Make him work things out on his own, fight the urge to drop subtle hints here and there. Plus you're right, he needs to break up with Kira first if he _really _wants to be with you. Jumping from girl to girl is never a good thing, and you don't want to be the rebound."

I nodded. "What would I do without you?" I laughed.

She giggled. "Probably jump off the ship and give up."

I blatantly stared at her for a solid minute before replying. "You _really _need to work on your analogies."

* * *

I had been searching for him all day, which is really something coming from the fact that our campus isn't all that ginormous. Every corner I turned, I hoped he'd be there so that I could ask him, so that I could explain to him and seek advice. There was one last place to go that seemed reasonable enough.

The theater was empty, but the stage was illuminated by a single spot, strictly on him. He sat near the edge like he usually did, frowning and staring down at his hands. I slowly walked towards him, then carefully hopped up onto the stage and took a seat next to him.

When he didn't move, I opened my mouth.

"Elliot," I breathed. He looked up at me, sending me a smile that told me he'd been waiting. I sighed in relief. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Why?" he scoffed. I gulped, fiddling with the hem of my dress.

"I need to ask you something," I sighed. He looked up at me in alarm. "How did you know?"

He blinked many times. "How did I know what?" he asked, feigning innocence. I rolled my eyes, punching him in the arm.

"How did you know that Austin liked me this whole time?" I demanded. His jaw dropped to the floor and I raised my eyebrows triumphantly. "Ha! So it's true! He really has! I can't believe you kept this from me, do you know how many times I've-"

He covered my mouth with his hand to keep me from exploding. He gave me a knowing look and I slumped my shoulders. "_That's _why. Ally, it was so obvious that he had feelings for you. So I decided to do my part and try to help you..."

"...by making him jealous," I said, filling in the blanks. Elliot nodded. "So you never really liked me?"

"Well..." he laughed. "I didn't in the beginning, but then... I don't know, I got to know you more and you actually turned out to be beautiful on the inside just as much as you were on the outside." I felt my face turning red. "Cupid just happened to hit me."

I ran my fingers strenuously through my hair. "I'm so lost," I admitted. He chuckled.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I wanted Austin to figure it out on his own. That's why I tried getting it out of him at the amusement park."

I snapped my fingers in realization. "Right, you guys were talking about me and he was about to say something but then Kira interrupted."

Elliot looked at me bluntly. "You were eavesdropping?"

I felt the tips of my ears heat up. "It's a bad habit," I said, biting my lip. "But what about in the recording studio? What did he say to you then?"

Elliot took a deep breath. "All he said was that he didn't want some douchebag dating you and-"

"He called you a douchebag?" I giggled. Elliot glared and I cleared my throat. "Sorry, continue."

"And then I said, 'That's why she's not dating you.'"

My eyes widened. "You said that to him?!"

He nodded. "I almost expected another fight to break out right then and there, but I think that's when it hit him."

"When _what _hit him?" I asked.

Elliot sighed, shaking his head. "That he was in love with you, silly."

I nervously laughed. "Oh... right."

Silence surrounded us for a moment before Elliot read my mind.

"It's not a lie, Ally. I know you're expecting him to just change his mind and go back to Kira, but he's in too deep to turn back now. He's not going anywhere."

"Maybe I want him to go away!" I exclaimed, folding my arms. "Maybe I don't even like him anymore! Maybe I like you!"

Elliot smiled. "But you and I both know that none of those things are true." He took both my hands in his, and I felt my throat closing in and my eyes welling up. "You don't want him to leave you, in fact, him leaving may just be one of your biggest fears. And I know that even though you've been trying so hard to get over him, he's always going to be a part of your heart."

I opened my mouth to speak, but then closed it when I couldn't find the words.

"And as much as it sorta hurts that you're the first girl I've actually had pretty solid feelings for..." Elliot trailed off, sighing, "I know that I can never replace Austin because... well, he's _Austin_."

I laughed at the irony of it all because every single thing he had just said was the absolute truth. I'd been fooling myself, trying to create another illusion, a trick of light.

But I guess you can't always run away from love, no matter how hard you try.

"I'm sorry that I can't like you back," I mumbled, squeezing his hands. He shrugged his shoulders sheepishly.

"It's okay," he replied, smiling. "You're a special girl, Ally. But you're not mine."

"I don't know what to do anymore," I gulped.

"How about _you _stop figuring out what to do and let _him _try for a change. He has a brain, you know."

I threw my head back, laughing. "That's not what I meant!"

"Come on," he said, jumping off the stage and lending me a hand. "We need to go over the script."

"Mini's?" I asked, smiling.

He nodded in agreement. "Mini's it is."

* * *

I was at my locker the next day when I heard someone say it.

"They broke up."

Three words, a small whisper, yet my ears managed to pick up the sound somehow. I continued to search my locker for my Economics notebook while listening carefully to the conversation.

"Really? Why?"

"I heard it was because he cheated on her."

"You're talking about Austin Moon, right? He's way too nice to cheat. I heard it was because he likes someone else now."

"But did you hear that he just got signed to Starr Records? Do you think her dad is going to revoke that now that they've broken up?"

"Good point... I have no idea..."

That was when I decided to tune out. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I quickly scrambled to get it.

_To: Ally  
From: Austin  
1:30 p.m.  
We need to talk. Meet me behind the cafeteria. _

I gulped, my thumbs shaking as they typed back a reply.

_To: Austin  
From: Ally  
1:31 p.m.  
Okay, see you soon._

I shut my locker door and made my way through the groups of students. My heart was pounding. Is this what it felt like when confrontation with the boy you loved was about to happen? I was nearly there when my feet stopped walking.

I needed to breathe. I needed to ask myself...

Is this what I wanted? Is this _how _I wanted it to happen? I shook my head, stomping towards the back area and there he stood.

That messy mop of blonde hair, that stupid coral blue T-shirt, that look he got on his face when he felt nervous and excited at the same time. He opened his mouth to speak but I beat him to it.

"Don't," I said, holding up my hand. His mouth shut immediately in surprise. "Don't say anything if you don't mean it. I'm not the rebound, Austin, and I don't _want _to be the rebound. So I want you to think, think for a really long time about everything that's happened between us since summer, since the school year began, and I just want you to think this through because I don't think I can handle another-"

He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes squeezed shut as I tried to register what was happening. He was kissing me.

Austin was kissing me.

His lips were on my lips and they felt warm and safe and a little needy. His hands cupped themselves around my face, and they felt a little rough, probably from sports. I could feel the callus on his palm, and suddenly my face felt very small as he cradled it, his lips moving against mine over and over. I gently pulled away in shock. My whole body was humming, buzzing, tingling. Every part of me felt alive and I wanted to replay it again and again, I wanted to write a million songs about it, I wanted to jump onto clouds in the sky. He gulped, his eyes turning a light shade of brown as he tried searching into mine.

"Say something," he said. I blinked.

"I don't know what to say," I heard myself speak. I felt like I was having an out of body experience, hearing someone else speak these words and commit these actions.

"We broke up," he mumbled.

"I heard," I replied.

"And... she wasn't mad."

That caught me by surprise. "She wasn't?"

"She said that she understood, that it only made sense."

"That it only... made sense..." I repeated numbly.

I felt a pinky lace through mine and I looked down as he slowly intertwined his fingers through mine. I observed him as he did this, as he gulped, as his cheeks turned pink, as his eyes softened and a small smile grew on his face. I had dreamed about what this would feel like.

_This_. Him wanting to hold my hand, him wanting to kiss me, him wanting _me_.

"I need to think," I admitted. He nodded.

"Take all the time you need."

"I don't even know... I don't know if we should do this," I said. His face fell.

"I understand," he said softly.

"I just..." I looked into his eyes and found a million emotions running through them. He was scared, happy, nervous, sad...

He was everything I had been for the past thirteen years. He was in my shoes, he was on my page.

"I need to think about everything," I mumbled as he tucked a stray hair behind my ear. "Before you explain, I just need to think."

I had a lot of thinking to do tonight.

* * *

The teapot kettle whistled and Mom took it off the stove, handing me my steaming cup of hot coffee. She sat down at the table across from me, her eyes shining as she softly smiled at me. We were both wrapped up in our comfortable robes and pajamas. Crickets were quietly chirping outside, and only a small slice of the moon could be seen tonight.

"So he kissed you?" she asked. I looked up in surprise.

"How did you know?" Could I really be that easily read?

"Honey, it's all over your face," she chuckled, taking a sip of coffee from her own mug. "That's exactly how I looked like after I got my first kiss."

I snorted. "What makes you think that was my first kiss?"

She blinked. "Was it not?"

"Nope," I said. Her eyebrows rose in alarm. "Don't worry, Mom, I haven't been kissing every boy in sight or anything drastic like that."

She sighed in relief. "What was it like?"

I felt my face grow warm and couldn't stop myself from cracking a small smile. "It definitely wasn't how I expected it to be. But... that's what made it perfect." I took a small sip from my cup. "Is that weird?"

"Sometimes it's the imperfections that can create something special," she reminded me. I nodded. "Ally, do you know what I see when I look at you?"

I shook my head. She sighed, settling her cup down onto the table.

"I see my beautiful, intelligent, kind daughter who has a big, forgiving heart," she said. I felt tears slipping down my cheeks and I wasn't quite sure why. "Alls, I know you're scared. Love is... it's a scary thing. But it's always worth the risk."

"What if I get hurt? What if it's not real?" I asked, using my sleeves to swipe at my cheeks.

"It's not going to be easy. But your relationship with Austin... it's stronger than you think. You both have been best friends for such a long time. It's not going to be the smoothest transition, but you have to at least give it a chance. If he hurts you, then just remember that I was in the wild for many years and I have picked up instant killing tactics."

I laughed. "But then you would go to jail," I replied. She smiled.

"You're worth the risk," she said, walking over to give me another one of her gigantic and long motherly hugs. She kissed the top of my head.

"You always know just what to say," I whispered.

"I'm supposed to, I'm your mother."

* * *

That night, as I lie in bed, staring up at the ceiling once again, my phone vibrates. I reach over, grabbing it from my desk, and open up the text.

_To: Ally  
From: Kira__9:57 p.m._

At first, I'm scared to read it. What if she says horrible, mean things? Then I won't be able to get any sleep and I'll feel really crappy, more than I already do feel at the moment. I force myself to look down at the glowing screen.

_Now is that someday. Take it. I'm okay._

I stared at these eight words, three sentences, for a long time. I overanalyzed it, I dissected it, I deciphered it, and then I smiled. Because maybe she was right.

That someday was finally within my reach, it had finally arrived. Maybe if I let it, maybe if I had a little faith...

Everything would be okay.

* * *

_**OH SNAP CRACKLE POP RICE KRISPIES he kissed her! I really wanted to write the kiss scene, so I thought: Why not just put it in this chapter already? So I did! Hopefully I did it some justice, I don't know, I'm hoping. I really wanted Ally to feel shocked and confused afterwards because she was going to give him a piece of her mind and then he just shut her up by kissing her. I don't know about you (but I'm feeling 22, no I'm only kidding), but I'd feel pretty shocked and confused, too. You know the drill: Leave a review if you want letting me know how I'm doing and what your guys' lovely opinions are, or Tweet me, this option is also available! My Twitter username can be located on my profile page so just go there if you need it or PM me. I love you guys WITH a FIERY IRREPLACEABLE BURNING PASSION. *p.s. I will be updating most likely on the weekends now since during the weekdays I am swamped in homework, so just bear with me!***_


	16. Chapter 16: Might Have Been The Sweetest

_**Hello lovelies, thank you for being so patient with the updates! I just finished studying for an Anatomy test I have tomorrow, so it's all good and I finally have free time. I've been itching to write cute Auslly scenes, I'm dead serious. And it really just hit me that in a few weeks we'll be seeing the unblocked Auslly kiss... like... their lips will be touching... and... I'm gonna die. ANYHOO. I really, really, REALLY cannot thank you all enough for just always taking the time to read this story! It really means the absolute world to me, each and every one of you are amazing people. Thanks for always reviewing, favoriting and following- all that jazz, it makes me happy! Okay. Here we go, new chapter, let's begin... Warning: the beginning of this chapter includes Math, bear with me, you don't have to understand it. For those of you who do know pre-cal, then you got this.**_

* * *

"So for (f+g)(3), all that means is f(3) = 2(3) - 5, which will give you 1. You just have to plug in the numbers with the equations that they give you," I explained, tapping my pencil lightly to each step on the page. Austin slowly nodded, a smile forming on his face as his eyes lit up in recognition.

"I get it now!" he happily exclaimed, so overjoyed that he grabbed the pencil out of my hand and began to do the next problem. "So for (fg)(-1) all you have to do is f(-1) = 2(-1) - 5, and you get -7?"

"Exactly!" I replied, making the mistake of looking up into those big brown eyes of his. The air grows still and his eyes flicker down to my lips as he starts to lean in. I clear my throat and quickly move my head back down to the page. "Austin..."

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm still getting used to this."

I sighed. "I know."

"Have you been thinking?" he asked hopefully. I fought the urge to chew on a chunk of my hair.

"Yeah, I have."

He leaned in closer. "Is there any way to speed up your thinking process?" he asked teasingly. I glared at him. "I'm kidding."

"Austin," I said, getting up from the table and walking over to the fridge. "I _have _been thinking a lot." I took out a carton of orange juice and began to pour myself a glass. I looked over at him and found him staring at me with eager eyes. I bit my lip. How adorable. "But I still think we should take our time with this."

How I could talk about this so calmly and nonchalantly, I was still unsure of. For a majority of my life, I had been in love with Austin. Then for a small portion, I had tried to get over him, which turned out to be a complete and utter failure, not to mention a giant emotional train wreck for me. And to top it all off, exactly two days ago, he had kissed me.

My best friend that I have been in love- and currently am in love with- _kissed _me.

Maybe it was the reassuring words of my mother.

...Okay no, that wasn't really it.

The point of it all was, now that the moment had finally arrived for Austin and I to actually be together, it all seemed to be coming too fast. What if this ruined our friendship? Then I would lose my best friend. What if college ended up driving us apart? Then I'd lose my boyfriend _and _my best friend.

I guess you could say that as of this moment I'm a little bit of a teenage mess.

"Ally," he said, rising from his chair and walking over to me. He squeezed both of my hands. I gulped.

I'm also trying to adjust to his now extremely romantic gestures towards me. And let me tell you, the struggle is real.

"I. Want. To. Be. With. _You_," he declared, emphasizing every single word and annunciation. The words rang crystal clear, yet I still felt my heart clench in fear. "Just you. Only you. Not anybody else, not Kira, Cassidy, not even Selena Gomez."

My eyebrows rose in amusement. "But you love Selena Gomez."

A small smile played on his lips as his eyes moved back and forth, observing my face. I suddenly felt my cheeks growing warm. "What?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I am the stupidest guy on Earth," he sighed.

I blinked. "Austin, you're going to ace your Math test tomorrow, don't worry."

He stared at me for a moment before laughing and wrapping me into a long hug. "That's not what I meant," he murmured, hugging me tighter.

* * *

I shifted my feet uncomfortably around the stage, still trying to adjust to these shoes that Ariel had to wear. I looked across the stage at Elliot, who winked at me. I rolled my eyes, smiling.

"People, people, people!" Miss Lu screamed, and I snapped to attention. "The back drop needs more color. Where is Andy?!"

Andy, our head of props, raced onto the stage, his glasses hanging off the bridge of his nose. He looked at me and I motioned for him to fix it. He turned a shade of red and adjusted them.

"Yes?" he asked. Andy was a bit of a nervous fidgeter. Like now, his foot was tapping against the floor at an unsteady beat, I might add.

"More paint!" she screeched. He ran off to God knows where, probably all the way to Hawaii to find the perfect shade of ocean blue for the back drop. Did I mention he's a perfectionist? Miss Lu was honestly driving us all nuts. I looked around at everyone. The atmosphere was tense, everyone's posture was rigid, and even _I _found myself gritting my teeth. "The show is on in _two days_. We have put sweat and tears into this play. Now come on, practice makes perfect! Scene three, Elliot, Ally, let's move it!"

But I found myself glued to the spot. It was hitting me real hard. The play was on in two days, and this auditorium would be filled to the brim with people expecting something good, something close to perfection. The only question left was:

Am I ready?

* * *

"I'm not ready," I panicked to Trish after school. She sat me down in a chair at Mini's, ordered us both burgers and milkshakes, then opened her mouth to speak.

"Ally, this is your moment to shine," she began. I deadpanned. "Okay, that was terrible. Let me try again." She sighed. "Ally, you've been cooped up your whole life, wondering what it feels like to be in the spotlight, to actually have a crowd cheering for you. So why are you running away?"

I buried my face into my hands. "Because I'm scared," I mumbled. "I'm scared of messing up, of losing it all."

There was quiet for a moment before she spoke up again. "Are we still talking about the play?" she asked. I took a peek at her behind my hands and found her smiling knowingly. I groaned, unmasking myself.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, then thought some more. "No. ...Both. I don't know."

She chuckled sympathetically as our food arrived. "Ally, I know you've got a lot on your plate."

I looked down at the small one inch burger.

"Not _that _plate," she said. I giggled. "Listen, of course you're feeling stressed. You're about to face your biggest fear in two days and Austin is waiting for an answer. There are a lot of bridges to cross, but once you walk over, it's not so bad on the other side. I promise."

I smiled, taking a deep breath. "I know you're right, but... I just can't help thinking about everything all at once. It makes my brain hurt."

"Well then just... stop thinking!" she stated triumphantly. "There! Problem solved!"

"But then I have to remind myself to not think and that's still thinking about not thinking and-"

"_Ally_," she interrupted. "You're going to be okay."

I gulfed down my burger and downed my milkshake. "I hope so," I said nervously when a thought occurred to me. "By the way, you're getting better at your analogies."

Her face glowed. "I've been working on it," she smirked, popping the collar of her shirt. We fell into a fit of unescapable laughter.

* * *

By midnight I am still wide awake in bed, staring at the ceiling for what seems to be the millionth time. What is it about the ceiling? I observe it. Plain white. Flat. Simple. There are no answers for me to seek within this ceiling.

I need a new ceiling with answers.

I try to squeeze my eyes shut and hope the sleep will begin to kick in any moment now. Twenty moments pass by and I find myself still awake. I sigh and shift to my right side, adjusting my pillow. I try counting sheep. I try reciting Shakespeare in my head.

_Tap!_

I scream loudly and fall off my bed. Taking a hesitant step towards my window, I carefully look outside. At first I see nothing. Then I see a small light, and a familiar blonde head. I quickly open the window, peering down through the leaves of the tree.

"Do you always have to come at this time?" I whispered to him. He shoved his hands into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders.

"It's kinda romantic, don't you think?" Austin replied. I found a trace of his smile in the dark and couldn't help but smile back. I leaned against the window sill.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He brought out something from behind his back. A basket. "I thought we'd have a little midnight snack."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the giggle that flew out of my mouth. "You're insane. My dad will kill me, then come after you."

"Your dad loves me," he snorted. "Come down."

"Austin..." I sighed, finding it strange how different this felt compared to all the other times he had visited late at night. I found myself doing that often.

Before, Austin would just look at me. Now, he stared.

Before, Austin would just smile. Now, he glowed.

Everything was changing, and I wasn't sure how to feel about all of it.

"Please?" he asked. "I brought pickles."

My body automatically perked up. "Pickles?" I asked excitedly. I managed to see him nod. I shut the window, quickly rummaging through my closet to grab my gray jacket. I slowly opened my door and crept down the stairs, praying none of the floorboards would creak. I heard Dad's snoring in one room and Mom's snoring in another, sighing in relief that at least _they_ would get some sleep tonight.

I opened the door, only to find Austin standing there in jeans and a T-shirt, actually looking decent. I stared down at my red PJ's and white tank top, wrapping my jacket tighter around myself. I inched towards the door.

"Maybe I should go back and..."

"Ally," he laughed, taking my hand in his. He really needed to stop doing that or else I might just die at seventeen. "You look perfect."

_Fine_. _Okay_.

Nope.

He had to use _perfect_.

* * *

"Where are we going?" I asked, gripping onto his hand as we weaved through what seemed to be a lot of grass and trees. The flashlight held a single strong stream of light.

"You'll see," he said.

"The fort?" I guessed.

"No."

"Your house?"

"No."

"Pancake Cen-"

He stopped walking and turned around to look at me. "If you keep talking, I'm going to kiss you."

I bit my lip and clamped my mouth shut, feeling my face grow pink. He smiled, tugging my hand and guiding us forward as we continued to walk. When we finally reached our destination, I was confused.

"Are we even in Miami anymore?" I gaped, letting go of his hand and walking towards the edge. It seemed like we were on a cliff of some sort. I peered down. Water. Looking ahead, I could make out a waterfall. Looking up, a million stars danced across the sky. I whirled around, grinning. "How did you find this place?"

He laughed. "I've been keeping it from everyone for awhile," he admitted, sitting at the edge. I hesitated, then sat down next to him, hoping I wouldn't go tumbling down into the dark water. "You're the first to see this. Well, after my dad. He took me here."

"Why?" I asked. "To go fishing?" Then I realized just how stupid that guess was since this water was way down below and there is no fishing rod in the world that's _that _long.

He laughed, shaking his head. "We sat down in this very spot at the edge. I was... thirteen, fourteen? He said, 'Austin, this is where I took your mom on our first date. When you grow up, this is where you should take Ally, too.'"

My mouth hung wide open in surprise. I shoved him on the shoulder. "_Shut up. _He did not say that!" I exclaimed.

"I swear to you on pancakes that he did!" he laughed, rubbing his shoulder. "And that actually hurt."

"Good," I teased. I peered down into the water once more. "What did you say to him when he told you that?"

Austin scratched the back of his head nervously. "Do you want me to lie or tell you the truth?"

"Truth."

"I said 'No way.'"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You know, Austin, if this is supposed to be romantic then-"

"Let me finish," he interrupted. I folded my arms. "I said no way because I wanted to take you somewhere better, somewhere better than just this. Because you deserve so much more than this."

I felt his warm hand find its way to my own, lacing his fingers through mine.

"I didn't know that I loved you yet back then," he murmured, "but I still felt it somewhere in the back of my mind. And I don't know if I can give you that now, but I know that I can try to."

"I don't know about try's anymore, Austin..." I admitted. He squeezed my hand.

"If I try, then I know I can," he said. "You told me that when we were seven. So I'm taking your advice. I'm trying, right now."

The moment felt so surreal that even if it were magnified or enhanced or sharpened, the edges would still feel blurred to me. I opened my mouth to speak, but my throat couldn't find the right words. I simply gave him a soft smile, my eyes moving towards the basket.

"How about those pickles?"

* * *

The walk back home was quiet, but the fact that we were holding hands seemed to be the only conversation necessary to fill in the blanks. I looked down at my watch. 2:30 am. We stopped in front of my door. I turned around to face him.

"Thanks for the midnight snack," I whispered.

He grinned. "You're welcome."

For a moment, I wanted him to.

I wanted him to kiss me.

But instead, his eyes softened and his hand found its way around my cheek as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to my forehead. I shut my eyes as warmth filled my entire body, reaching all the way up to my heart.

"Goodnight," he said.

"Night," I replied. As I floated through the door, up the stairs, and into my bedroom, I slid against my bed, my cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

That might have been the sweetest and most genuine kiss I've ever gotten.

* * *

_**I'm sobbing because I wish this kind of stuff happened in real life. (I'm only exaggerating, I'm not really sobbing, just dying from feels.) They're on their way, guys! Austin is being quite the gentleman, and Ally is being cautious (smart) but loving every single inch of it (duh, I would too). I did steal the setting in the Pass Me By video when Ross holds his love interest's hand, that's exactly what I pictured during his and Ally's midnight snack. Sorry this was so short and if it was a little ehh or overboard sweetness, but I was really feeling the Auslly factor today. Don't forget to leave a **__**review**__** and let me know how I'm doing and what you thought of this chapter or even just this story as a whole. You can **__**Tweet**__** me as well, either one is fine by me! I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I HOPE SOMEDAY SOME GUY DOES THIS FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU DESERVE IT. *P.S. In case this feels like a last chapter, it's not. There are probably going to be about 2-3 more left so don't fret! The journey's not over yet!***_


	17. Chapter 17: Click

_**YOU GUYS ARE ALL AMAZING. Your reviews always manage to brighten my day and make me smile. It literally never gets old to check my e-mail only to find those amazingly sweet reviews from each and every one of you. I know I always, ALWAYS say this, but I really do appreciate everything that you guys do, even the people who don't have actual accounts but review anyway! And even the people who just read my story in general, I'm glad my writing makes people happy out there, wherever you all live. Thank you so very much! On a more important note: The Auslly kiss is OUT! Spoilers, and I'm not gonna lie, I looked and I *sings* regret nothingggg. Although I'm not going to get on a controversial topic about spoilers because there's enough of that going around, I'm just going to say that I'm very excited to see the episode! Alright, here we go, Chapter 17, the second to last chapter guys... **_

* * *

Shelby's familiarity has never felt more comforting since my nerves are practically shot this morning. Austin smiles warmly at me from the driver's seat as I buckle my seat belt, playing nervously with the hem of my skirt.

Today is the last play rehearsal, and then tomorrow is the show.

The show.

Where there will be actual people in the audience.

Staring.

At me.

"Hey, you okay?" Austin asked, his right hand leaving the steering wheel to grip onto my hand, puling it away from the hem of my skirt squeezing it. I offered him a weak smile that wasn't fooling anybody and sighed.

"No," I admitted quietly.

"Why not? What's wrong?" he said, making a left turn, his fingers wiggling through the spaces of my own so that our fingers were intertwined. I felt my cheeks grow warm at the fact that he so often liked to hold my hand now.

"The play is tomorrow, Austin. _Tomorrow_," I emphasized, feeling my voice shaking in fear. His eyebrows knitted in deep concern, and he pulled over to the side of the road. My eyes widened. "What are you doing; we might be late!"

"I don't care," he said. "Ally, you have no reason to be nervous or scared tomorrow."

I folded my arms. "Yes I do! This is my-"

"Ally, don't you see it?" he asked. "You've changed." He tilted my chin so that I would meet his eyes. Darn those hazel brown eyes that make me melt and give in to everything. "When you're on that stage, I can't take my eyes off you. It all comes naturally to you, even if it doesn't seem like it."

I smiled, genuinely this time. "Really?" I asked in a hesitant tone.

"Yes. Now stop worrying or else I'll-"

I leaned in and pressed my lips gently and quickly against his. When I pulled away, his mouth hung open wide in surprise. I laughed.

"Now who's the threat?" I teasingly stated, my heart soaring as he grinned widely at me before pulling back onto the road.

* * *

"Ladies, how is your preparation for the report coming?" Mrs. Jefferson asked sweetly, smiling down at our notebook.

"I personally think my hypothesis won this argument," Trish stated proudly. I rolled my eyes, but I knew she was right.

"I'm sure it did," Mrs. Jefferson replied, staring at me with strange twinkling eyes before walking away to the next table.

"Did you see that? It's like... she _knows_," I hissed.

Trish snorted. "Ally, _everyone _knows! Everyone's been waiting for you and Austin to finally admit you've been in love with one another since kindergarten! Trust me, _she's _not the only one in the loop."

I bit my lip, embarrassed that this whole time it seemed that _I'd _been the one out of the loop. "Oh my God," I laughed, burying my face in my hands.

"So...?" Trish asked, the same mischievous sparkle in her eyes. I peeked at her through my fingers.

"So what?" I replied.

She sighed in frustration. "So is it official, you dumbie?!" She eagerly leaned forward, her expression almost quite similar to one of the Cheshire cat in Alice In Wonderland.

"Almost," I whispered, feeling the sudden tension in the room. My peripheral vision told me that Trish wasn't the only one wanting so desperately to hear my answer.

"Almost?" she deadpanned. "Let me get this straight: you guys have kissed and held hands and gone on a moonlight snack trip... but you two still aren't _together_?"

"Um... yes?" I squeaked.

She groaned, now burying her own face in her hands. "You guys are killing me."

* * *

I shut my locker door, settling the notebooks carefully into my arms when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I whirled around, only to face the person who had basically tipped the dominoes until they all came tumbling down.

"Kira," I breathed, smiling awkwardly. "Hi."

"Hey," she replied.

A tense silence formed as we simultaneously opened our mouths to speak.

"I just wanted to-"

"What did you want to-"

We both stared at one another before falling into a nervous fit of giggles. I sighed, leaning against my locker. "Kira, we've known each other for years," I stated.

"We have, but... well, you know," she said softly. I cleared my throat.

"I know," I murmured. Another awkward silence lapsed.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I never should've... I never should've gone out with him. At the time it felt right, but I should've seen how much you were hurting."

I shrugged my shoulders. The New Ally believed in second chances but at the moment was hesitant about forgiving.

"But they're right, you know," she said. This caught my attention.

"About what?" I asked, gripping tightly onto my notebooks.

She smiled. "That if it's really yours, it will come back to you." She placed one hand on my shoulder, and I felt myself relax. "You should see the look on his face when he's around you, Ally. It's like... you're worth the entire world. Hold onto him."

"As long as he holds onto me," I joked. She laughed, removing her hand.

"Oh trust me, he'll be holding on until you guys get married," she replied, and I felt my face turn pink.

"M-married?" I stuttered, suddenly imagining walking down the aisle and actually seeing Austin at the end of that aisle. She winked.

"Just don't forget to invite me to the wedding," she said, then walked away to her next class. I brushed the thought away but was surprised to find myself sketching wedding dresses on the top of my Math notes.

What has this boy done to me.

* * *

I sighed, taking off Ariel's quite uncomfortable shoes in the dressing room before taking a look at myself in the mirror.

I still saw the same girl, only with highlights. The same girl, the same face, the same me. Yet something inside me _had _changed.

"Knock knock," a voice said, and I turned around.

"Elliot," I replied, grinning. He walked towards me, plopping down into the chair in front of the mirror.

"That was a pretty decent last rehearsal, huh?" he asked.

I nodded, sitting down next to him in another chair. "It was," I noted. "But..."

"But...?" he asked, sitting up suddenly.

I ran my fingers through my hair. "I'm going to miss being on stage," I murmured. His reaction surprised me as he began laughing. I frowned. "I'm being serious!"

"Sorry," he gasped through his incessant chuckles. "It's just... when I first met you, you didn't even _want _to set foot on a stage. But now, it's like you can't get enough of it."

"I feel different when I'm up there," I said. "I feel like _me_."

"You know," he suggested. "You could always major in theater."

"Major in... theater?" I asked, the words feeling funny on my tongue as I said them out loud. Why had this thought never occurred to me before?

"Sure," he said. "Look for a college that has really good theater and performance majors, and apply for them. It's a one hundred percent guarantee that you'll probably get in."

I scoffed. "You don't know that."

He bluntly stared at me. "Ally, you have straight A's and you're a triple threat." He caught himself and grimaced. "Well, maybe you need to work on your dancing, but a _double_ threat is just as close to a triple."

"I need to think about it," I said carefully. He nodded.

"You're in control of your future. No one else," he said, leaving me alone in the dressing room to resonate in his words. Whatever the world held in store for me was _my _choice and my choice alone. The next step was simply taking that leap of faith and praying that the end of the tunnel would be just as bright as expected.

* * *

"Still up?" Mom asked as her head peeked through my open door. I sighed, nodding. She came inside the room, sitting down gently on the side of my bed. "What's on your mind?"

I laughed. "Not much," I said sarcastically. "Just the fact that tomorrow a bunch of people will be staring at me onstage, plus the question that I should have already answered but I can't seem to."

I leaned my head against her shoulder, frowning as she soothingly rubbed my back.

"Oh, sweetie. Sometimes it takes time, small chunks of it, before everything falls into place."

"But what if it doesn't?" I asked. "What if everything just falls apart at the last minute?"

"Then you just have to make sure that won't happen."

"_How?_"

She pulled away, smiling down at me. "By letting yourself."

She got up, shutting the door quietly behind her. I collapsed onto a pillow, hugging the blankets and wrapping them around me until I felt like I was inside a cocoon.

_"It's c-cold," I shivered, the goosebumps on my arms escalating. Austin chuckled. _

_"I texted you to bring a jacket. We're at a ski lodge, for crying out loud," he replied, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his own jacket. I glared at him, trying my best to ignore the numbing feeling now spreading to my fingertips. _

_"Well, why would they plan a field trip at the end of 7th Grade anyway?" I sighed. But I couldn't stop my eyes from looking up at the sky, snowflakes falling all around us, like being encased in a white slate of winter wonderland perfection. I closed my eyes, smiling at the feel of the snowflakes landing on my face, dainty wet petals dissolving into my skin. _

_I suddenly felt something being wrapped around me, my eyes flying open in surprise at the fact that my shoulders now held Austin's jacket. I turned around to face him, his arms now rising with goosebumps. _

_"What are you doing?" I asked, feeling my skin turn hot, my cheeks probably flushing a rosy pink. _

_He shrugged his shoulders. "You were cold," he mumbled. _

_I blinked. "But you did text me to bring a jacket," I replied. _

_A small smile played upon his lips as he laughed. "Who plans a field trip at the end of 7th Grade anyway?" he teased, and I bent over to form a snowball that I could tackle him with. _

I shut my eyes, imagining that winter wonderland five years ago, when all I could hear was the sound of the world and the feel of the sky. I thought of that snow, that blonde headed boy, and drifted off.

* * *

I woke up feeling cold, and stared at my arms.

Goosebumps.

I walked over to the bathroom, looking at my disheveled appearance in the mirror. The bags under my eyes. The paleness of my face. These were my imperfections, yet I was more than happy to see them. I no longer despised them, and _this _is what had changed inside me. I took a deep breath, then let it out.

"Today you are going to answer that question, and today you are going to rock that stage," I said to my reflection, who almost seemed to look at me in fear. I straightened my posture, sending her a small smile. "Today you're no longer going to be afraid. Know why?"

She stared at me with doe like eyes, blinking, waiting.

"Because you won't let yourself."

* * *

_Life's too short to stay behind the curtain. Cheers to stepping into the spotlight. -Trish and Dez_

I grinned, staring up at the two while trying to balance the card and the bouquet of daisies in my arms. I blew a stray hair out of my face.

"Guys, I don't know what to say," I sighed, my eyes welling up.

"Oh! No crying!" Dez yelled.

"Yeah, you might ruin your make-up," Trish reminded me. I let out a small laugh.

"Either way, she'd look perfect," a voice said, and I sighed, leaning against the presence from behind me, my head falling against his chest.

Trish rolled her eyes, smiling. "We'll leave you two alone," she said, practically having to drag Dez away.

"But I want to see!" he whined, and I giggled, turning around to face Austin.

"And what do you have there?" I asked, nodding my head to the item he was hiding behind his back.

"Oh, just this," he said innocently, pulling out a single rose and handing it to me. I scrunched my nose, laughing. "Too cheesy?"

I nodded. "Just a little bit," I said, leaning in to hug him. "But that's okay."

My heart was beating so fast that it sounded like a simple hum, and I opened my mouth before I lost the courage. "Yes."

He pulled away from me carefully, staring down at me. He blinked. "Yes?" he asked.

I nodded, smiling. "_Yes,_" I repeated, waiting for him to realize. He looked at me for another good two minutes before the realization dawned on him.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, grinning widely and lifting me up into the air, twirling me around. I tilted my head back, the laughter filling my lungs as he settled me carefully back onto the ground. "So this means..."

"That you're my... _boyfriend_," I said, testing out the new word.

"And you're my... _girlfriend_," he said, grinning and leaning in closer to me, touching his lips lightly against mine.

"Now you have to take me out on dates," I murmured in between the kisses.

"That's not a problem," he said, smiling against my lips.

"Ally, we're about to start!" Andy yelled, then stopped in his tracks. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I-"

"Nope," Austin said, pulling away and scratching the back of his neck. "She's all yours."

I looked back at him before going onstage.

"_Go_," he mouthed.

And I did.

* * *

"Ariel, wait," Elliot said, running after me across the stage, pulling my arm back to face him.

I looked at the ground, but he held my face in his hands, lifting it up. I searched his eyes nervously.

"Why are you always running away?" he asked.

"I'm afraid," I spoke, my voice shaking. The spotlight turned from a blinding white to a soft glow of yellow.

"You don't have to be anymore," he murmured. "I love you, and I don't care what other people think about it."

I closed my eyes, waiting for the stage kiss, for his lips to touch mine, then cracked open a single eye when nothing happened. I looked at him in alarm when I realized he had his hand held out, suddenly recalling what Austin had said that day at the fair.

_"A kiss, I mean, out of all the things she could add into the play! She could add in a... a hug, a handshake... those things are romantic, too!" _

I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing as I took his hand and shook it. The audience chuckled a bit, and I sighed, remembering my line.

"I love you, too," I replied, and I leaned in to hug him because... well.

Ariel can only say "I love you" and shake hands for so long.

* * *

After the play, I am practically bombarded to death by nearly everyone congratulating me.

"Oh, Alls, you did fantastic!" Dad exclaimed, wrapping me into a large hug.

"Dad... can't... breathe," I choked, and he sheepishly let go.

"Honey, you were amazing, breath taking, uni-"

"Mom, I get it," I laughed. She smiled, squeezing my hand.

"I am so proud of you," she stated, her eyes tearing up. I softly smiled at her.

"Thank you," I replied.

"And," Dez interrupted, waving his camera at all of us. "I got it all on tape!"

Trish stared up at him admiringly, but when he looked down her expression quickly changed as she rolled her eyes. I bit my lip in amusement.

Someday they would. Someday.

"I told you that you would be amazing!" Trish squealed. I grinned.

The theater was still packed and the conversation in the air buzzed with excitement. Clearly, the play had been quite the success, and I didn't choke on any of my lines or song lyrics- not once.

"She was pretty awesome," a voice said, taking my hand in his, intertwining our fingers. The looks on everyone's faces were priceless.

Mom's grin reached all the way to the moon and back.

Dad turned an interesting shade of off white.

Trish looked at us with pride, while Dez was screaming a little _too_ joyfully. I cleared my throat, and they all dispersed in different directions. Mom grabbed Dad's arm, leading him outside.

I sighed, shaking my head and turning around to face him.

"Now, why did you do that?" I asked, smiling.

Austin shrugged. "Because I love you."

I blinked. "You do?"

His hands slid around my waist as he tilted his face towards mine, kissing me until I could no longer think straight. And that's when I heard it.

The unmistakeable _click_ as, suddenly, everything fell into place, as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, as I realized that I never wanted this moment to end. He pulled away, tucking a stray hair behind my ear, smiling.

"I do."

* * *

_**WHEW. Okay, this took my forever, but I'm smiling because I actually like how this chapter turned out. What do you guys think? Leave me a **__**review**__** or **__**Tweet**__** me letting me know what you thought about this chapter! I put in a TON of Auslly kisses, probably because the fact that the actual kiss is out and I set it as my wallpaper... wait... um... oops. The last chapter comes out NEXT WEEK! It's almost coming to an end, guys... I am sad. But the support has been too unreal. I. Love. You. All. **_


	18. Chapter 18: Fast Forward

_**The journey has finally come to an end. Here it is, the very last chapter of Just Another Cliche. Hopefully this gets updated on time, if it doesn't bear with me! This weekend is going to be crazy hectic: tonight I'm going to a carnival, tomorrow I'm going to volunteer at Stanford for Choir reasons, Sunday I'm studying hard core for my Math Analysis Honors quiz that I really need to pass because my current grade in that class is... not so hot... BUT. I did put all my heart and soul into this chapter, and I really hope you guys enjoy it! I couldn't have made it this far without your encouragement, your sweet reviews, etc! There will be more Author's Note rambling at the end of this chapter, as well as an additional list of certain Reviewers I just want to thank. CHAPTER 18, folks... last update of JAC ever... Just a note: the chapter shifts back and forth to Trish and Ally's AP Psych speech and Auslly moments strewn throughout the year.**_

* * *

It's ironic, really, to get nervous in front of the class when you're about to say a speech. If you look at it from a different perspective, you've known these people practically your whole life if you've gone to elementary school with them. You've seen everyone's best and worst moments. In a way, even if you're not close with them, you've grown up with them.

You've seen them change.

I'm gripping so tightly onto the AP Psychology notebook that my palms are getting indents from the spine. The bundle of nerves in my stomach are coiling tightly together, but luckily Trish is up here with me. I shoot her a nervous look, and she sends me back a reassuring smile. We've been preparing this speech, this _project, _for nearly a year, perfecting each detail until it's almost just right. After what seems to have been hours of researching, typing, printing, coloring (yes, coloring)- we're finally done.

"Ms. Dawson and Ms. Dela Rosa? You're up," Mrs. Jefferson calmly announced, folding her hands together in her lap. I nodded and took a deep breath, beginning.

"At first, Trish and I were a little hesitant about our topic for this project, but we finally came to the conclusion that we should go through with it," I said, unrolling a poster and tacking it onto the board. "Platonic friendships are friendships that are intimate and affectionate but not sexual."

**oooo**

"Austin," I laughed as he gently pressed his lips against my neck.

"What?" he murmured. I gently pushed him away, sighing as I sat up from my bed, adjusting my T-shirt. His eyes widened and a smile grew on his face. "Are you taking that off?"

My jaw dropped wide open as I smacked him on the shoulder. "No, God!" I exclaimed. "Austin, I'm not ready to... I mean, we haven't even been... And I don't have any-"

His lips fervently found mine as he cut off my words, then pulled away, pressing his forehead against mine. "I'm never going to pressure you to do something you don't want to do," he said, his voice shaking slightly. "I could never... _hurt _you that way. I promise."

I brushed his hair away from his eyes so I could look at him properly, leaning in to kiss him softly on the cheek as I wrapped my arms around his waist to hug him. "Thanks," I mumbled, burying my face into his shoulder. "For understanding."

"I should understand, I've known you practically my whole life, Ally," he chuckled, hugging me back tightly.

**oooo**

"The idea of platonic friendships actually comes from an entirely different era," Trish stated, pointing to a picture of Plato plastered on our poster. "This Greek philosopher stated that guys and girls can just be friends. But guys," she paused, looking at everyone in the room, "come on, who are we trying to kid?"

Laughter erupted through the classroom, and she even managed to get Mrs. Jefferson laughing.

"A study using 44 men showed that 24% of them felt more than just friendship towards their girl friends, and the other 14% were interested in dating," she continued, pointing to our pie chart. "However, studies also show that women are more likely to get emotionally attached to men when it comes to friendships, therefore making it more likely for women to invest actual feelings in their guy friends."

**oooo**

Strolling through the halls with Austin has never been something new. But now, it's something special due to the fact that his hand always seems to find mine, our fingers intertwining with each other's. At first the expressions on people's faces were so priceless. I can't even count the number of times we got stopped in the halls.

"It's about time, Moon!" a football player shouted happily, giving Austin a high five, which Austin happily returned.

"Austin and Ally, I knew it!" another girl exclaimed. It took my all not to burst out laughing.

"Is this real?" I asked him as we stopped at my locker. He simply laughed, hugging me from behind.

"Does this feel real?" he replied, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and kissing me on the cheek. I felt my face grow pink, which clearly answered his question.

**oooo**

"Platonic friendships are tricky," I stepped in, clearing my throat. "We're human. We typically tend to grow feelings for the opposite sex, especially if the opposite sex holds qualities that we like. The line between friendship and relationship is pretty thin in high school."

"We interviewed many students on their opinions of platonic friendships in high school," Trish said, pulling up a video on the projector.

"Platonic friendships? Um... yeah, I guess they could happen somehow, unless the guy and the girl end up falling for each other, of course," a timid and shy freshman answered.

"Nah, man, eventually guys and girls always develop feelings for one another. That's just how the heart works," one senior on the baseball team explained. He then winked at the camera, causing all the girls in the room to giggle.

"Platonic friendships, like me and Trish... kinda," Dez suddenly exclaimed, moving the camera towards himself.

"Dez!" Trish said in the background as she took the camera away from him. The class burst into laughter, and Trish laughed along.

"Platonic friendships are questioned on a daily," I said when the video ended. "Do they exist? Are they real? Or is almost every friendship just a romance waiting to happen?"

**oooo**

"Sometimes, Austin, the things that come out of your mouth..." I gasped in between laughs.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Ally, I can't believe you actually _like _these lame jokes," he replied. "You know I just tell them to make you laugh, right?"

I sighed, my cheeks burning from laughing so much. "Then you get double bonus points," I declared.

"Yes, double bonus points for making my girlfriend smile," he said, pumping his fist in the air. I rolled my eyes, then stopped in my tracks. His smile faltered. "Ally? What's wrong?"

His eyes followed mine, directly at the mailbox. The flag was up. His eyes grew wide. I cautiously stepped towards the mailbox, opening it and searching through the envelopes before I found the one that I was looking for. I looked up at him in fear, and he took my hand in his and squeezed it. I tore open the envelope, opening my mouth to read the first line.

"Ms. Ally Dawson, the Music University of New York is eager to accept-" I couldn't finish the rest as I jumped up and down excitedly, Austin lifting me happily up into the air as we danced around like goofballs up and down the street, clutching onto my MUNY acceptance letter like it was my life.

**oooo**

"Nearly 65% of girls at our high school have claimed that they've felt romantic feelings towards their guy friends at one point. 24% of that 65 also confessed that they weren't going to tell their guy friends," Trish explained to the class, who now seemed to be highly intrigued by our information.

"The other 41% claimed that they've told their guy friends or they've gotten over the guy," I commented.

"And it doesn't stop there," Trish said. "As we grow older, these tendencies and feelings only grow as not only a romantic aspect evolves but a sexual attraction, as well."

**oooo**

"Twenty questions," Austin said, stretching his arms comfortably around me as I leaned my head against his chest. We sat underneath a tree in the park, settled down on a blanket. "Go."

"Okay," I said. "What was the last thing you did before bed last night?"

"Texted you good night," Austin admitted as I laughed. "That's an easy question. Give me a harder one."

"Fine, fine! Alright... what is your favorite memory?" I asked. He took my hand in his, intertwining them together. He looked down at me.

"The day we met," he stated. I rolled my eyes.

"So cheesy!" I scoffed.

"But it's true! Ally, if Jack Coleman hadn't punched me in the face or stolen your sandwich, we wouldn't be here together right now," Austin explained. "Can you imagine that?"

I thought, long and hard about it, and felt my heart jump in fear at how right he actually was. My whole life was Austin-filled. For him to be removed from that was like removing the wheels of a bike: non-functional.

"My turn!" he exclaimed, snapping me out of my thoughts. "What's your biggest dream?"

I opened my mouth to say to become a singer, to be with you forever, but only three words came tumbling out: "To be happy."

He blinked at my response, so I decided that it needed further explaining.

"I hope to be happy in everything that I do. I hope to feel passionate about every part of my life and love what I'm doing every second of every day. And it's okay if it isn't the ideal American Dream, but if it makes _me _happy, then I'll be perfectly fine."

He nodded. "Happiness is a good ambition," he thoughtfully replied, causing me to smile in agreement. "Okay, your turn."

I tapped my chin with my free hand until an obvious question popped into my head. "What is your biggest fear?" I asked.

He cleared his throat and mumbled a scramble of words that my ears couldn't quite pick up.

"What?" I asked again. He sighed, looking up at the leaves of the tree.

"That you won't marry me," he said, his ears turning pink from embarrassment. I felt my own face flush in surprise.

"Oh," I answered. "Marriage."

"Yup," he said.

A silence filled between us, long gaps of it.

"How do you know we're going to get married?" I finally asked.

He shrugged. "I don't. But I know that I want to," he said.

I laughed. "Austin..."

"Ally, I'm serious," he said, straightening up in his seat against the tree. "I know what I want to do with my life, and I know that I want you to be a part of it."

I sighed. "It's sweet, Austin, but..."

"Can't you see it?" he asked, his eyes pleading. "Remember that day at the diner, when I asked you how do you know when you're in love with someone? Do you remember what you said?"

I nodded. "I said that time slows down and-"

"That's crap," he interrupted, and I frowned, opening my mouth to argue but he held up his hand. "That's crap because when I'm with you, Ally, time doesn't slow down. Time speeds up. When I'm with you, I believe in a fast forward. When I fast forward my life, I see you walking down the aisle. And when you arrive at the altar, I lift your veil and there you are."

I felt my throat closing in on me, my eyes tearing up as a wobbly smile appeared on my face.

"Oh man, Ally, don't start crying. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that time slowing down was stupid, I just meant-" I covered his mouth with my hand as I let out a shaky laugh. I sniffled.

"No. No, this kind of crying is a good thing," I promised. "Fast forward. I like that."

He removed my hand from his mouth, grinning. "I like it, too."

**oooo**

"We've come up with a staircase that shows steps on why platonic friendships are almost always relationships waiting to happen," Trish said, pointing to the first step of our staircase on the poster. "Step One: Friends have common interests. No matter how opposite two friends are, they obviously have some kind of common interest to be able to bond so well."

"Step Two," I said, pointing to the next portion of the staircase. "Time span. Once a guy and a girl become friends, they get to know each other on a deeper level. The more time that passes, the deeper this level gets."

"Step Three: Heartfelt actions. Eventually," Trish pointed out, "either one of them, boy or girl, doesn't matter, is going to begin noticing how nice their friend is, how smart, talented, and thoughtful their friend is. Then they're going to realize that they know no other person in the world that acts like this one person, which leads us to..."

"Step Four," I finalized. "Hidden emotions. This final step is when the friend begins to form romantic emotions toward their friend due to their heartfelt actions."

"The staircase is gold, everyone," Trish stated.

**oooo**

"Trish, where are we going?" I hissed, tugging at the blindfold. She slapped my hand away from it, causing me to yell at the sting.

"Just hold still," Trish said, grabbing at my hand roughly as we weaved through people. I sighed in frustration, wondering what all this ruckus was about. I'd been at my locker, simply putting away a few notebooks and folders when I suddenly became blind.

"Dez, are you getting this?" I heard Trish whisper, making me feel even more alarmed.

"Filming?! Dez, what's going on?" I demanded.

"It's a secret, Ally," Dez said, and I glared at him even though he couldn't see my hatred filled eyes. We finally stopped walking and the blind fold was removed.

"I am going to _kill _you guys, why did you-" My words wavered, hung still in the air as I tried to take in what was right in front of me.

Austin. Holding flowers and a small jar of pickles that had a sign with a single word on it.

_Prom?_

First, I grabbed the flowers, observing their bright colors and inhaling them until I felt dizzy with the florescent. Second, I happily took the jar of pickles, thinking about how I was going to devour them later. Third, I settled all these items carefully on the ground and kissed my boyfriend because it was the least I could do, really.

**oooo**

"We have come to the conclusion that although platonic friendships may exist, most of the time the heart gets in the way and speaks up," Trish explained. I nodded.

"Sometimes the heart just wants what it wants. And sometimes friendship isn't always enough. Sometimes there's more, and that more is the relationship aspect that high school students, college students, even adults seem to be aiming for," I said.

Claps and whistles immediately exploded. Mrs. Jefferson proudly clapped along, and as Trish and I headed back to our seats, she stopped me. I blinked, waiting for her commentary.

"I knew you two were working hard," she said with a sly smile. "And might I say, you and Mr. Moon make a fine couple."

And for a moment the teacher and student bond broke as we giggled, just two women talking about love.

* * *

I adjusted the cap, brushing the tassel out of my eyes as I fixed the creases in my gown. I turned around, searching for that familiar blonde boy of mine. My eyes landed on his just as his own found mine, and we shared a knowing smile as we faced forward, our attention focusing on the principal at the podium.

"Class of 2014," Principal Moreno declared. "I am proud to see each and every one of you here on this fine day: your graduation day. And now, here is your valedictorian, Andy Heigenman."

I let out a sheer whistle for him, clapping until my palms stung. "Go Andy!" I shouted. Andy stepped up to the podium, adjusting the microphone until it was just right.

You know Andy, the perfectionist he is.

"Good afternoon student, parents, and faculty. Today I present to you the Class of 2014," he declared. The audience clapped loudly, and I managed to see my parents and Austin's parents clapping proudly on the bleachers. And then the most surprising thing happened, the most unexpected thing, something very un-Andy.

He threw his speech card behind him.

"Two weeks ago I wrote this amazing speech that I just threw to the ground right now. I spent hours and hours on it, but now that I'm up here, I've realized one thing: That perfection will get you nowhere." Thoughtful silence filled the area as we all let this sink in. "Our entire high school career has been about striving for perfection, whether it's striving to be a top student, striving to get good grades, striving to please everyone around us. Well, let me tell you one thing: I'm tired of striving for expectations that aren't my own."

The entire class cheered loudly at this statement that seemed to ring so clear and true. Why had no one ever said it before?

"As I look out into the crowd, I don't see just an athlete, just a shy kid..." His eyes locked with mine. "Just a singer." I smiled. "I see the skin we've _really _been living in. I see that, in a way, we've all changed, whether it's physically, mentally or even emotionally. And sometimes change is scary, but you know what? Sometimes change is good, too. Sometimes change is necessary. Change, spontaneity, and dreaming- these are three aspects that will get you somewhere. So don't be scared for the future. Embrace it. Know that there's so much more than just _this_. There's a lot waiting for us out there. And yeah, it's intimidating, but at the end of the day, you have to give yourself a pat on the back because you haven't made it this far for nothing."

Another explosion of loud cheers erupted, and Andy's grin was so wide I was unsure of how it fit on his face.

"So, on a better note, I think the end of my speech card went a little something like this: Congratulations Class of 2014! We did it!" he exclaimed, taking off his cap and throwing it in the air as we all mimicked him, a chorus of whistles and cheers filling the air as golden caps showered the sky. I looked over at Austin, at Trish, at Dez, at my parents, and realized that Andy was right.

I haven't made it this far for nothing.

* * *

The cold waves lap against my toes, freezing them until they feel like icicles. A familiar figure takes a seat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders as I lean my head against his own. The sun is just dipping down, setting fire to the sky as pinks, reds, and oranges fill the horizon.

"Last summer was so different from right now," I murmured, getting goosebumps from Austin's fingertips lightly grazing against my skin.

"Last summer, _we _were so different," he chuckled, and I smiled, warmly recalling at how right he was. "This place never changed, but we did."

"For the better, do you think?" I asked.

"Of course for the better," he replied.

"Change," I mumbled.

"What about it?" He looked at me, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

"Everything's going to change now," I said carefully. "I'm going to MUNY, you're going to UCLA. We're going to be so far apart..."

He sighed, tilting my chin upwards to face him. "Hey," he said softly. "You're right. Everything is going to change. The distance is going to change, the atmosphere is going to change, but us? We're the only thing that's not going to change."

I bite my lip in hesitation. "You promise?" I asked. He shook his head and I felt my heart wilt.

He smiled. "I _know_," he said confidently, leaning in to press his warm lips against mine. It was the same place, the same spot near the waves that one summer ago, but everything had changed. I had changed. He had changed. We had changed. But the water, the sand, the sun hadn't changed, and that's when I realized one thing.

I had finally gotten my sunset moment.

* * *

**_SOOOOOOOB. It's done. We are done, guys! I feel sad yet happy at the same time, if_****_that even makes any sense. I hope this journey has been just amazing for you guys as it was for me. I really wanted this story to revolve more than just around Austin and Ally's romance. I wanted to write about before Ally could really love Austin, she had to learn to love herself first. I wrote about fears for the future, because the future is definitely something I'm scared for at the moment because college is just around the corner. And I wrote about friendships, because we all seem to be looking for that place right between friendship and relationship. Do I like him or are we just friends? And I promise you that sooner or later, you'll figure it out. It just takes time. And now here is the list of these special people I wanted to thank: _**

_Got2LiveItBigTime- Thank you for always leaving such sweet reviews and for always reading every new chapter! It really meant a lot to me!_

_1DR5- Your reviews literally made my day and made me laugh, girl! You are too funny! I love you to the moon and back, and thank you for always reviewing and reading!_

_WolfGirl999- Don't think I didn't see your lovely reviews because I DID. My advice for you now: I don't know you personally, but I'm certain that you're a kind, sweet, talented person with so much love to offer everyone. Have some faith and confidence in yourself because I believe in you. High school is a big transition, but friends are easy to make, I promise. Thank you for always leaving such amazing reviews, and thank you for reading my story. _

_4everawriter- I LOVE YOU. I just love you! Your reviews always made me smile and made me feel happy! Because of you, I'm actually seriously thinking about majoring in writing in college, so thank you. _

_writermeAL- Thank you thank you thank you for always reviewing! It really meant SO MUCH, so thank you!_

_Jackie is Grey- You really were such a dedicated reviewer and I just wanted to personally say thank you! Your reviews always made me smile._

_InfinitelyWriting- I can't even. Your reviews were beautiful, I just... I can't. Sending all my love to you._

_im that idiot- Thank you for reading my story and reviewing at like 2 am haha, so sorry I kept you up that late! _

_And special thanks to Emily (I can't remember your fanfiction username at the moment)- Thank you for notifying that people were actually talking about my story on Twitter, which I think is AWESOME and AMAZING! The wonders of the internet, right? Thank you sooo much, you have definitely become one of my Twitter Auslly buddies. _

**_Thank you so much for everything guys. Last few words: He's out there somewhere. No matter what, don't lose hope. Just have patience, and have fun with what you've got. Friends, family, sports, music, whatever makes you happy- pursue it with all you've got. Love you guysss._**


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